|
 |
 |
|
Dems say Ryan budget will hurt women and children the most
-
03/13/13 06:55 PM ET
House Democrats on Wednesday evening argued that the budget plan Republicans proposed for 2014 would be devastating to women and children who are dependent on federal programs.
"One thing that is completely clear in this budget is that women in particular will suffer because of the choices the Republican budget makes," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said on the House floor.
"Instead of closing tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas, the budget kicks kids out of Head Start. Instead of getting rid of tax breaks for the oil and gas industry, this budget cuts [benefits] for single moms struggling to put food on the table. It cuts food stamps."
"Instead of laying out a fair and balanced plan… Rep. Ryan's budget undermines the health and economic security of the elderly and the disabled, most of whom are women," she said.
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) said Ryan's budget would hurt families who use the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.
"Sequester will drop about 600,000 women and children from this program, but under the Republican budget, even more babies and mothers would be kicked off," she said.
And on education, Maloney said the budget would cut the Pell grant program, which would hurt women's chances of gaining an education to move up the economic ladder.
"Yet again, the Ryan Republican budget hurts women college students by cutting nearly $83 billion… from Pell grants over the next ten years," she said. "The Ryan budget will be devastating for working women, low-income families and young women trying to afford college. Head Start, early childhood care, food stamps, Pell grants for college and so much more would be slashed under this budget."
Despite the Democratic complaints about budget cuts, Ryan and other Republicans have defended their budget plan as one that allows federal spending to increase, although at a slower rate in order to allow the deficit to shrink. Under his plan, the budgets for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and various discretionary programs all increase over the next ten years.
Ryan has said his plan would still allow federal spending to grow 3.4 percent a year, slower than the current 5 percent rate of growth.
The budget does, however, zero out the 2010 healthcare law, another aspect of the budget that Democrats oppose.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
