October 19, 2017

MANCHIN: CURRENT BUDGET AND TAX REFORM PROPOSAL DO NOT REFLECT MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today released the following statement after voting against the budget resolution that passed the Senate. The budget passed 51-49.

“Today I voted against a budget proposal that would cut $472 billion cut from Medicare and would increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion. I’m embarrassed that this body voted to saddle our children with more debt while slashing funding for a program that is crucially important to West Virginia’s seniors. This budget also paves the way for Senate Republicans to pass tax reform without any bipartisan input with a simple 51-vote majority. In my conversations with President Trump we have discussed our shared goal of ensuring any tax reform package passes with both Republican and Democratic votes and focuses on providing tax relief for working Americans. The current tax reform proposal is the work of Senator McConnell and does not reflect my conversations with the President. I fear that passage of this budget today will make it difficult to pass bipartisan tax reform in the coming weeks. I urge my Republicans colleagues to listen to the President and work with me to pass long-term bipartisan tax reform. In spite of this flawed budget, I remain committed to doing everything in my power to simplify the tax code and give tax cuts to all working people and families in West Virginia.”

Below is a list of effects on West Virginia:

  • The budget contains $5 trillion of unspecified cuts that could devastate programs essential to West Virginians. Under the proposed 2018 Republican budget, West Virginians could see a reduction in services:
    • $472.9 billion cut to Medicare over the next 10 years that would jeopardize the more than 425,000 West Virginia seniors who rely on Medicare. 
    • West Virginia received $28,872,302 in funding for heating assistance programs in 2016 compared to $43,362,931 in 2010.  From FY 2010 to FY2015, West Virginia experienced 33% reduction in LIHEAP receipts, and it is estimated that 64% of eligible households in the state are not served due to funding decreases.  
    • In 2015, West Virginia received $41,327,335 in WIC benefits. Those funds served 4,334 pregnant women, 10,765 infants and 20,945 children with a coverage rate of 72.6% of those eligible. 
    • West Virginia received $65,259,418 in 2016 for Head Start and Early Head Start. This impact 8,078 children and their families.
  • Outside of the cuts to services, important agencies and programs that serve West Virginians would see cuts or be totally eliminated:
    • The Appalachian Regional Commission could be completely eliminated. ARC works on development projects like building rail links, expanding airports, and funding local health departments.
    • Cuts to the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, would result in cuts to flights at the Beckley, Clarksburg Greenbrier, Morgantown and Parkersburg airports.
  • For West Virginia partisan Tax Reform means tax cuts for the top 1%, while failing to assist middle- to low-income families.

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