See below for reactions by Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA03) on President Biden’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2023.

STATEMENT OF U.S. SEN. MARK R. WARNER 

~ On the President’ budget proposal ~  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the President’s budget proposal: 

“I’m glad to see that President Biden’s proposed budget doubles down on the administration’s efforts to strengthen relationships with our allies and continue to support Ukraine. This budget would also help bolster our economy and ensure that hardworking Americans are able to get ahead through strong investments in education, child care, health care, broadband, and clean energy. 

“I’m pleased that the President has continued to prioritize increased funding for community-based lenders who work with underserved communities, including Community Development Financial Institutions. The President’s Budget included $331 million for the CDFI Fund to continue promoting entrepreneurship and economic mobility among our most vulnerable communities. I was also glad to see funding to implement the Ashanti Alert Communications Network, and to help combat hate crimes, as authorized by the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act. 

“I’m also pleased that this budget builds on gains made through the bipartisan infrastructure law by requesting robust federal dollars for transportation, including $150 million for WMATA. For a stronger military, this budget requests funding for two Virginia-class submarines, five military construction projects in the Commonwealth, and a new VA outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. It also requests the largest pay raise in 20 years for our servicemembers and civilian personnel. Additionally, I’m thrilled to see that this budget proposal includes key funding to continue tackling the deferred maintenance backlog at our national parks, as required by my Great American Outdoors Act.”

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JEC Chairman Beyer on President Biden’s Proposed Budget

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement following the release of President Biden’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2023.

“A budget is an expression of priorities and values, and today, President Biden released a fiscally responsible budget that centers investments in workers and families to drive economic growth that is stronger, stable and more broadly shared.

“Rising inequality, persistent racial disparities and decades of public disinvestment left the United States more vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic. And even as we’ve seen more than 7.4 million jobs created and the fastest economic growth in nearly 40 years, brittle supply chains, corporate concentration and inflation—exacerbated by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine—are depriving workers of the full benefits of our economic recovery.

“Investments to reduce households’ biggest expenses and increase housing affordability, address climate change and bolster domestic manufacturing—all while bringing down the deficit by asking the very wealthy and big corporations to pay their fair share—put us on a path to building a stronger and more resilient America.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to deliver on this vision of strong economic growth and shared prosperity.”

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Chairman Scott: Biden Budget Outlines a Brighter Future for America

WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden released a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023. 

“The Biden-Harris Fiscal Year 2023 budget proposal lays out a clear vision for how America can build back better and meaningfully improve the lives of our nation’s students, workers, and families.

“The proposed budget reflects a key commitment to reverse decades of underfunding in education and build on the success of the American Rescue Plan. This proposal requests substantial increases for Title I schools, which ensures funding is directed where it is needed most. To help improve affordability and access to college, the Administration has also requested a total increase of $1,775 for the maximum Pell Grant award, and a notable increase in funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions.

“The Administration’s proposed investments will help keep workers safe on the job by bolstering funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and bolster workers’ opportunities to secure high wage jobs by significantly increasing funding for Registered Apprenticeships. Registered Apprenticeships are by far America’s most successful workforce training program—delivering consistent results for workers and employers.  Moreover, the significant increase in the proposed funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board will strengthen nondiscrimination enforcement and protect workers’ rights to form unions and collectively bargain.

“And finally, the Biden-Harris budget proposes strong investments to expand access to affordable health care and ensure the well-being of our communities. The proposed budget calls for lowering prescription drug costs and bolstering funding for programs that help low-income families access nutrition, home energy support, and other programs that provide pathways out of poverty. Critically, the proposal also invests in our communities need to address our nation’s mental health crisis by strengthening coverage and expanding access to behavioral health care.

“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for providing a strong blueprint on how we can grow the middle class, strengthen our economy, and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to realize this vision of an America where everyone can succeed.”