Rep. Smith Statement on the President’s Budget
May 28, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after President Biden released his FY2022 budget.
“As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, income inequality continues to grow and many Americans still struggle to find job opportunities, put food on the table for their families, and get the health care they need. Building a thriving, inclusive economy demands a major investment in workers, families, and innovative, sustainable solutions to some of our biggest challenges. President Biden’s budget makes clear his priorities to upgrade the nation’s infrastructure to meet the needs of the 21st century, support individuals and families by increasing investments in critical social programs, and take long-overdue action to address climate change.
“The budget President Biden laid out today would expand economic opportunities for all Americans through policies that fund child care, expand and improve the earned income tax credit and child tax credit, and increase access to education and job training. Historic and systemic disinvestment in these federal programs disproportionately harms the same communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic – working people, those with low incomes, and communities of color. By investing in education, modernizing infrastructure and the electrical grid, broadband expansion, advancing comprehensive immigration reform, and addressing the climate crisis, this budget helps create equitable opportunities and lays the foundation for a more prosperous future for all Americans.
“Americans understand that the economy left far too many people behind even before the pandemic. As we reach an inflection point following the success of the American Rescue Plan, we cannot afford to return to the status quo of what was not working. I am committed to working with my colleagues to build off of the President’s vision to enact policies that promote economic opportunity, reduce income inequality, and create jobs following one of the most consequential and difficult years in history.”
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