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Sarbanes Statement on Obama Administration FY2016 Budget

February 2, 2015

Congressman Applauds the Proposal’s Effort to End Sequestration, Expand Opportunity for Middle-Class Families Across America and Bolster the Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) released the following statement on President Barack Obama's FY2016 budget proposal:

"The president's budget proposal is a bold statement of principles that will make our economy work for everyday Americans, not just the wealthy and well-connected.

"Importantly, the budget would end the across-the-board federal spending cuts known as the sequester. For the last three years, these cuts have stalled investments in our critical infrastructure, education, job training, health care, crime prevention and the environment. In Maryland, which houses 80 federal facilities and is home to more than 300,000 federal and military employees, the sequester had a particularly detrimental impact on the local economy. For these reasons, I'm pleased to see the president take the appropriate step of restoring funding to vital federal agencies and programs.

"I also applaud the president for focusing on middle-class families by helping to increase take-home pay with much-needed tax breaks, incentivizing paid sick leave, improving access to high-quality and affordable child care and investing in STEM education and community college programs.

"Finally, elements of the budget proposal would bolster the economy in Maryland and across the nation by repairing and rebuilding roads, bridges, rails and other transportation infrastructure – key improvements that are sorely needed in this country.

"I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to advance many of the dynamic initiatives outlined in the president's budget."

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