President's Budget

Floor Speech

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Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I rise to highlight the budget proposed by the President of the United States.

A budget is a statement of our values as a Nation--a moral document-- what we prioritize and what we hope to accomplish. The President released his budget proposal yesterday and, while I cannot say I am surprised, President Trump's budget, once again, shows his disregard for the values of the health and well-being of families across America.

Just 3 months after signing the farm bill, President Trump proposes a 14.8 percent cut to USDA's--agriculture's--annual budget. This would hinder the Department's ability to implement the bipartisan farm bill Congress just passed overwhelmingly.

With sharp cuts to the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and elimination of the Value Added Producer Grants, these cuts will hurt farmers in the Virgin Islands, as well as other places in our country.

Far from building a stronger Nation, the President's budget would devastate the pillars of economic security for farmers, seniors, and families across America. I wholeheartedly reject this destructive budget request.

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