WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement in response to the release of the President’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget:

            “While I appreciate the need to work towards a more fiscally responsible budget, I don’t believe the way to do so is by sharply cutting programs that support those who have fallen on hard times and by relying on budget gimmicks. Many of the reductions proposed in this budget – from the cuts to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program to LIHEAP – will hammer thousands of people across Maine, including older, disabled, and lower-income people. Hard working Maine people who pay taxes expect a government that works for them, but they are the ones who will suffer when the tax cuts proposed in this budget directly benefit those who need it least.

“I agree that Congress should consider ways to reduce the debt and deficit, but I also believe we can be – and should be – more thoughtful in how we approach this goal. For example, I firmly believe we can adequately support national security while also maintaining robust domestic programs. One does not have to come at the expense of the other, but it will involve compromise. As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, I look forward to more deeply examining this budget and evaluating how we can work towards one that prioritizes Maine people and businesses, along with our national security needs.”

###