Lujan Grisham Rejects the Republican Budget, Again

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01), a member of the House of Representatives Committee on the Budget, once again voted against the GOP budget proposal introduced by Congressman Paul Ryan. The budget, which Lujan Grisham vigorously spoke out against in the Budget Committee, passed the full Committee on a party-line vote.

“I voted against the Republican budget because it destroys the social safety net, does little to help grow our economy, and is bad for New Mexico families.

The Republican budget ends the traditional Medicare guarantee of a specific set of health benefits available to all seniors. It turns Medicare into a voucher program that shifts costs to seniors, forcing them to pay more out of their pockets for their healthcare. It also reopens the “donut-hole” which will increase prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Furthermore, it cuts more than $800 billion from Medicaid by turning it into block grants to states.

In addition, this budget makes even deeper cuts to food assistance programs. This is in addition to the $8.5 billion cuts to SNAP that were included in the Farm Bill earlier this year. In New Mexico, cuts to food assistance will have detrimental impacts as one in three children is chronically hungry. New Mexico is already the worst state for child hunger and the second worst state for adult hunger – these short-sighted cuts like these do nothing more than harm New Mexico families.

And for the first time, Democrats were able to force a vote on comprehensive immigration reform, which the Republicans soundly rejected. In New Mexico, reforming our immigration system, will create more than 6,000 new jobs, add $201 million in state and local taxes, and increase New Mexico’s economic output by more than $3.8 billion over the next decade.

What we need right now is a balanced approach that puts New Mexicans back to work. That is why I voted for the democratic alternative that invests in education and infrastructure, supports research and development, and restores cuts to health care for seniors. It is a common sense approach that will reduce our long-term deficit, spur growth and create jobs, and protect our most vulnerable.”

###