WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump sent budget priorities to Congress today that featured a sharp uptick in military spending, paid for in large part by cuts in public health and environmental programs.
Following is reaction from Kyle Jones, director of federal affairs at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
"So much for President Trump's promises of 'the cleanest air' and 'crystal-clean water.' The president has proposed a massive cut to programs that directly benefit everyday Americans—helping to address skyrocketing utility costs, protect clean water, and give people options to lessen the impact of oil price shocks on their household budgets.
"The president's budget leans in on a slew of cuts to environmental programs that Congress rejected last fiscal year. It is time for Congress to reassert its power of the purse and provide a much-needed, constitutionally mandated check on this President's wildly skewed budget priorities.
"As oil prices begin to have widespread impacts that threaten the nation's transportation, energy, and food systems, why would Congress contemplate some of these cruel cuts that will harm our neighbors? Why halt the construction of vehicle chargers while the price of oil is through the roof? Why cut support to help vulnerable households keep their homes heated or cooled while the cost of utilities skyrockets? Why cut support for the cheapest, cleanest, and fastest-to-deploy sources of electricity when the nation needs more—not less—energy? How does nixing money for clean water put America first? How does cutting enforcement of pollution-related crimes help anyone? The nation deserves far better than what the President is cynically offering here."
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law, and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health, and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd). Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.