Issued May 22, 2017
WASHINGTON—SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement on the Trump administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget:
“This budget does nothing to build a foundation for American greatness. For decades, working families have struggled to pay their bills, afford healthcare for their families and save for retirement in the face of a political and economic system that is increasingly rigged against them by self-interested politicians who advocate for the interests of greedy corporations. The budget released by the Trump administration would set working families back even further to pay for tax cuts for greedy corporations and a deportation force that would only drive immigrants trying to build better lives for their families even further underground. And it wholeheartedly endorses the disastrous House Republican healthcare repeal bill, which is direct attack on the jobs and lives of working people and the nearly one in five Americans who count on Medicaid.
“Working people have made it clear through protests and town hall meetings that taking Medicaid coverage away from seniors, people with disabilities and children is unacceptable. And millions of people have joined together in support of immigrant families who contribute so much to our communities and economy. But the Trump administration insists on ignoring them in favor of corporate tax cuts, a deportation force and the border wall. These extreme proposals do nothing to help working men and women. In fact, they would actively hurt the vast majority of working people by making it harder to afford healthcare and by making our communities less safe and our neighbors more fearful. But this proposal would be great for the private prison corporations who stand to benefit.
“The administration’s budget would also decimate our ability to ensure working people are paid what they have earned and are safe in the workplace, allow corporations to make even greater profits by polluting our air and water, and make it harder for talented young people to go to college. And the President wants to make it harder for children and people with disabilities to receive care, for parents to feed their children and put affordable housing out of reach. America’s working families would be deeply harmed by these policies.
“Members of Congress who are truly interested in the ability of working people to get and hold a good job and succeed will reject this budget. SEIU members and our communities are going to continue to make our voices heard until the value of our work is matched by our wages, all working people have a say at work through a union, and every family and community can thrive.”