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Budget proposal needed

Manchin

Here in the Mountain State, we don’t expect any handouts. We work hard for what we have, and we’re proud to do so. I’ve always said that the federal government should be a strong partner in that work — not our sole provider, but our partner.

I have the honor of serving on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where I have the unique opportunity to fight for investments in West Virginia every day. So when the president was drafting his new budget earlier this year, I reached out to him to underscore the vital importance of a number of programs, services and entities funded by the federal government that help keep the Mountain State strong.

That’s why I am so concerned with the president’s recently announced budget proposal for next year, which will balance the budget in 10 years — but at the cost of $274 billion dollars that many Americans and West Virginians count on in so many ways. While I firmly believe that the national debt is one of the greatest threats facing this nation, I do not believe in cutting investments to the values and principles that make this nation the greatest country on Earth. My grandmother, Mama Kay, was always helping our neighbors and taught to us to help others. She was constantly taking in people who were down on their luck and gave them a hand up, not a hand out. That’s what we should be doing for our fellow citizens. That’s why we must continue to take care of our children and help those in need; strengthen our economy and create jobs; keep our promises to seniors and veterans; preserve national security; and invest in infrastructure and energy independence.

In West Virginia, we value our children above all else because we know they are our greatest treasure and our future. Nearly half of all infants and one-quarter of all young children in our state have utilized Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services. In our state, more than 34,000 children rely on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to make sure they have a healthy childhood. However, the president’s budget proposes cutting CHIP by $5.8 and WIC by $1.2 billion over the next 10 years. These programs ensure West Virginia children do not go hungry and that they’re healthy, and as this budget process proceeds, I will fight to ensure they are well-funded.

The president’s budget proposal also cuts Medicaid by more than $610 billion over the next 10 years. With these cuts to Medicaid and the passage of the American Health Care Act, the American Hospital Association estimates that 68,200 West Virginians will lose their Medicaid coverage in 2018 and 125,800 people would lost coverage by 2026. West Virginians don’t deserve to have their health care ripped away from them and I will fight to prevent this from happening.

In the coming weeks, a budget must be negotiated by first bringing all parties to the table, where we should focus on an open and honest discussion of the choices we must make as a nation. As I have done throughout my career, I am willing to work with anyone from any party to set our priorities, cut waste and redundancy, and rein in out-of-control spending. And, while no single senator, representative or even president can be expected to have all the answers, we as a nation just can’t afford months of political posturing that will delay the hard work the American people demand of us. I am hopeful that, when we come together, we will craft a budget proposal that reflects a true bipartisan agreement that puts commonsense priorities for Americans and West Virginians first.

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