The Honorable Jodey Arrington, Chairman
The Honorable Brendan Boyle, Ranking Member
House Budget Committee
204 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Arrington and Ranking Member Boyle:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I am writing to express our strong opposition to the FY 2025 Budget Resolution introduced by Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington and scheduled for markup later today.
The Chairman’s proposed budget abandons the FY 2025 spending levels agreed in the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act passed in 2023 and instead slashes spending for critical domestic needs by over $2.5 trillion, including cuts to infrastructure, worker protections, education, and job training. The Chairman’s plan would cut an astounding $6 trillion from mandatory programs, including $2 trillion from Medicaid and $1 trillion from vital safety net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Congress should instead pass a budget that invests in the American people by creating middle class jobs and lowering the cost of energy, housing and health care. Rather than prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations, the budget should build on current efforts to modernize our infrastructure, invest in quality childcare and strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
We also urge the committee to scrap plans to hand future budget decisions to an unaccountable body, such as a fiscal commission, giving it the power to fast-track recommendations to cut federal programs without congressional debate and amendment. The Republican FY 2025 Budget Resolution clears the way for trillions in tax cuts for big corporations and the ultra-rich while making unsustainable cuts to the investments working families rely on. We urge you to vote no.
Sincerely,
William Samuel
Director, Government Affairs