Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Ninth District) issued the following statement Tuesday regarding the vote on the “Fiscal Cliff” budget deal:
“I am pleased that a budget agreement has been reached between our President and the Congress that will keep our most vulnerable from falling of the 'human cliff.' While of course this bill is far from perfect, I am encouraged that the efforts of members of the Progressive and Congressional Black Caucus’s led to the extension of the middle class tax cut, an extension of the child tax credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and an extension of Emergency Unemployment Insurance. This agreement also extends renewable energy incentives, the Research and Experimentation tax credit and other business incentives that will continue to create jobs and rebuild our economy for all.
“However, I am remain deeply concerned regarding the impact of potential cuts on communities of color and other vulnerable populations in the ongoing negotiations on sequestration and the debt ceiling, despite the two month extension.
“As a member of both the Budget and Appropriations Committees next Congress, I will continue to fight to make sure there are no further cuts to safety net programs, including Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. I specifically oppose cuts to services for diabetes, end stage renal disease, and other illnesses that disproportionately impact underserved communities. And, I am committed to evaluating the impact of the funding used to pay for the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR or 'doc fix').
“As budget negotiations move in the next Congress, I will keep fighting to increase revenue by closing tax loopholes, cutting the bloated Pentagon budget and ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes. It is in our nation’s best interest both morally and economically to develop policies that protect and grow the middle class and fight for those aspiring for and striving to be in the middle class.”
Editor's note: As of Jan. 3, 2013, Barbara Lee will be representing the newly drawn 13th Congressional District.
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