WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after President Trump unveiled his budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. The budget proposal makes deep cuts to federal programs other than the military. The president also includes a request for $8.6 billion to fund an expensive and ineffective wall along the U.S. southern border.

“This budget request is dead on arrival. Budgets reflect priorities, and President Trump’s priority is clearly catering to his base ahead of his re-election campaign. He includes massive cuts to programs Connecticut families rely on to pay for his tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, and a ridiculous amount of money for his border wall that no one wants,” said Murphy. “The good news is that Republicans and Democrats on the Appropriations Committee have basically ignored the president’s budget request for the past few years and came together on bipartisan government funding proposals. Specifically, I fought hard on the committee to restore cuts to investments in transportation infrastructure, manufacturing job training, and Long Island Sound preservation. If President Trump stays out of the way, we can continue to make these smart, bipartisan investments. If he refuses and pushes this unrealistic and dangerous budget proposal, he risks shutting down the government again.”

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