WASHINGTON– U.S. Sen. Cory A. Booker, D-N.J., today issued the following statement after voting early this morning against the Senate’s budget for Fiscal Year 2016, which calls for $4.3 trillion in cuts to mandatory spending programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over 10 years:
“The American people deserve a budget that is responsible and inclusive, one that holds true to our values and priorities as a nation. The steep and careless cuts this budget proposes are tone-deaf to the daily challenges facing hardworking families, seniors, the sick, and those who are one paycheck away from living on the street. We can reduce the deficit, but we need to do it in a smart way that doesn’t balance the budget on the backs of working families.
“If we truly want to move this nation forward, we must fight to preserve the programs that have supported Americans in their bleakest hours of need and provided opportunities for Americans to lift themselves up. Draconian cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, are counterintuitive to the enduring values and principles that have defined what we stand for as a country.
“I remain hopeful that we can put aside partisan differences and work together to support a forward-looking budget that builds on the growing economic recovery by focusing on boosting paychecks for middle class families and preparing workers for a 21st century global economy. But I cannot stand behind a budget that places its burdens on those least able to afford it.”
Though he voted against the final budget, Booker successfully incorporated three bipartisan amendments he co-authored with Sens. Graham, R-S.C., Fischer, R-Neb., Scott, R-S.C., and Murray, D-Wash., into the bill. These amendments call for investments in broad-based criminal justice reform, transportation infrastructure, and apprenticeship programs that promote workforce development.
“The amendments I introduced speak to some of my legislative priorities, but also to what is sensible and fair. We need to restore justice to our criminal justice system and look for every possible avenue to make badly-needed reforms. The Senate’s approval of this amendment is a good sign for the prospects of bipartisan criminal justice reform this year. Furthermore, we need to invest in our people and our infrastructure to remain competitive in a global economy. I’m glad the Senate approved my amendments to promote apprenticeships programs and investments in freight planning.”
Below are more detailed summaries of Booker’s three approved budget amendments:
Broad-Based Criminal Justice Reform Amendment with Sen. Graham
Our criminal justice system is broken. Over the last 30 years, prison populations in the United States have exploded both at the federal and state level. In order to truly address mass incarceration and over criminalization, the United States must enact broad-based criminal justice reform, including sentencing reform. This deficit-neutral reserve fund amendment calls for such reform.
Freight Planning and Investment Amendment with Sen Fischer
Booker’s freight amendment, cosponsored by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), would establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to multi-modal freight. It would encourage freight planning and investment to include all modes of freight transportation such as rail, waterways, ports and highways. New Jersey is an important hub in the national freight system and this amendment highlights the importance of a holistic, all-of-the-above approach to planning and investment. According to the Brookings Institution, more than 77 percent of the nation’s freight moves between different states, and more effective multimodal freight connectivity would move greater volume of goods quicker domestically and internationally. Incorporating all modes of freight movement will increase productivity and create efficiencies within the system as a whole.
Apprenticeship Programs Amendment with Sens. Scott and Murray
The Booker Amendment would establish a deficit neutral reserve fund to support workforce development through apprenticeship programs. The shortage of skilled workers in the U.S. is well-documented, as companies continue to face challenges finding qualified workers to fill available jobs. According to one 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers study, currently only 45 percent of private companies are fully staffed, and nearly 28 percent of companies cite lack of skilled workers as a barrier to future growth. Yet as this skills gap persists, 9 million workers in the U.S. are unemployed.