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Dear Friend,

To get our economy back on track and help Washington’s families and businesses, we need to find responsible, bipartisan solutions to our nation’s fiscal issues. Unfortunately, the Republican budget passed by the House of Representatives last week was neither responsible nor bipartisan.

Yesterday, I spoke at an event with Senator Patty Murray about what a responsible, pragmatic budget should look like. I believe we must make smart investments in education, research, clean energy and transportation infrastructure in order to create jobs and grow our economy. Instead of balancing the budget on the backs of seniors, students and veterans, we need to find innovative solutions that provide us a great return on our investments. My $200 million job-training pilot program for those on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – which Congress passed as part of last year’s Farm Bill – gives people the tools they need to get back on their feet. It is a prime example of how investing a little money in a targeted way could save us money in the long-run. The bipartisan support for my program shows that we can do better than this reckless approach.

Sadly, the House-passed budget takes us backwards. It ends Medicare as we know it, cutting $148 billion and turning it into a voucher program that will lead to higher prescription drug costs for millions of seniors and future retirees. The budget also cuts $125 billion from SNAP, removing the certainty of a vital safety-net for those who have fallen on tough times.

We should be working on bipartisan solutions to build an economy that works for everyone. This means crafting a budget that responsibly reduces our deficit while shaping the future we want for the next generation by investing in infrastructure improvements and energy independence. We should close tax breaks for businesses shipping our jobs overseas and for wealthy individuals who benefit from a system that allows a millionaire or billionaire to pay a lower tax rate than his/her secretary. And Congress needs to be smart about reducing spending in order to ensure economic opportunity for all Washington families by investing in programs that lead to long-term economic growth.

As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter or liking my Facebook page. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, or if you are having problems with your Social Security or Medicare, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085. 

Sincerely,
 

Suzan