SENATOR COLLINS RELEASES STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT’S PROPOSED BUDGET

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the President's budget proposal that was released today.

"The President's proposed budget outlines an aggressive domestic agenda that requires serious consideration, but also raises many questions, particularly about the enormous growth in the public debt. It is estimated that debt held by the public would nearly triple in ten years. In addition, the President's proposals appear to rely extensively on tax increases rather than tackling the exploding costs of federal programs. I am, however, pleased that the President has targeted expensive and wasteful subsidies to big agri-businesses.

"I will closely examine the full budget proposal when the details become available in the coming weeks. But, it is clear that we need to work together to address our troubled economy, to correct our nation's financial and housing crises, and to get people working again because job losses in Maine, and throughout our nation, are causing much hardship for our families."