(Washington, D.C.) Following is a statement by SEIU President Mary Kay Henry regarding the Senate FY 2014 budget proposal released by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray. The Senate budget blueprint came one day after House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan released a recycled proposal that relies on unrealistic fiscal assumptions and unfairly places the burden of deficit reduction on working families.

Chairman Murray put forward a responsible, more realistic budget proposal than what we saw Tuesday from Chairman Ryan. The Senate Democratic budget proposal puts people first. It would grow the economy from the middle out and recognizes that struggling low- and middle-income families have already borne the overwhelming brunt of deficit reduction."

"The nation's top priority should be getting people back to work, shoring up the middle class and ensuring everyone pays their fair share. To that end, the Senate Democratic budget ends tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations, halts sequester cuts that harm vulnerable families, and creates jobs by investing in roads and other infrastructure.However, lawmakers must preserve vital programs and make sure any cuts to Medicare or Medicaid do not impact the quality or availability of healthcare for millions of Americans who depend on these services.

"We applaud Chairman Murray for focusing on how to restore economic security to families and understanding that when working people are doing better, the economy will do better."

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