Last week, NACDD-led Fiscal Policy Task Force for the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) released a statement on the FY2018 Senate Budget Resolution. See Attached and below. Please share this statement with your councils and networks. As always, please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you. -Erin

 

 

CCD Fiscal Policy Task Force Statement on Senate Passage of the FY 2018 Budget Resolution

 

Contact: Donna Meltzer, NACDD 202-506-5813 or xxxxxx@nacdd.org 
Kim Musheno, AUCD 301-588-8252 or xxxxxx@aucd.org 
Annie Acosta, The Arc 202-783-2229 or xxxxxx@thearc.org
Lisa Ekman, NOSSCR 202-550-9996 or xxxxxx@nosscr.org

 

Washington DC, October 20, 2017 - The Fiscal Policy Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a national coalition of more than 100 national disability organizations, is deeply concerned about yesterday’s passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Senate Budget Resolution.  The sole purpose of the budget is to provide a path to a massive tax cut plan using the reconciliation process, which permits the bill to pass with a simple majority in the Senate.  

 

The Senate has further opened the door to cutting federal programs that help people with disabilities to live dignified and independent lives in the community.  Though this budget does not require program cuts, it gives Congressional committees the green light to develop legislation that does.  The Senate Budget’s Resolution’s assumption of more than $5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade - including more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and $473 billion in Medicare cuts alone - is an alarming indication of what could become law.  Alternatively, if the intended resulting tax bill does not include cuts to federal programs, it gives Congress leverage to make the cuts later in the name of deficit reduction.  Under either scenario, this Budget allows Congress to do so with only a simple majority vote required in the Senate.

 

“This Budget’s sole purpose to make way for massive tax cuts -- not reforms -- that disproportionately benefit wealthy individuals and corporations,” stated Kim Musheno, CCD Chair. “CCD urges the House to reject this budget and work on bi-partisan solutions that will address our nation’s priorities without harming people with disabilities.” 

 

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is the nation’s largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the education, self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.  For more information visit www.c-c-d.org.

 

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Erin Prangley

Director, Public Policy 

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

1825 K Street, NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC  20006

202.506.5813 Ext. 104 (Phone)

202.506.5846 (Fax)

www.nacdd.org