[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 51 (Thursday, March 26, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E429-E430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 25, 2015

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the concurrent resolution 
     (H. Con. Res. 27) establishing the budget for the United 
     States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth 
     appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 though 
     2025:

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chair, I would like to submit a letter that was 
signed by over 4,800 faith leaders supporting the Congressional 
Progressive Caucus' alternative budget.

       Dear Representative: As clergy and faith leaders of many 
     faiths, we urge you to support The People's Budget, 
     introduced by the co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive 
     Caucus, Congressmen Keith Ellison and Raul Grijalva. The 
     Federal budget should reflect our values and shared 
     priorities, and we believe that this proposal achieves that 
     goal.
       The teachings of our respective faiths are steeped in the 
     understanding that we have a communal responsibility to care 
     for the most vulnerable in society. Feeding the hungry, 
     clothing the naked, ensuring that all workers receive a fair 
     wage are not simply policy positions: they are sacred 
     obligations.
       The People's Budget would create desperately-needed, good 
     paying jobs, repeal sequester and all Budget Control Act 
     spending caps and end Corporate Inversions that allow U.S. 
     companies to avoid paying taxes. The Budget's proposals 
     invest in veterans, women, communities of color and their 
     families and K-12 education. It expands the Earned Income Tax 
     Credit and unemployment insurance and enhances the social 
     safety net. It reauthorizes the Children's Health Insurance 
     Program (CHIP) and implements comprehensive immigration 
     reform, including a pathway to citizenship. In short, The 
     People's Budget, if passed, would set our nation back on the 
     path toward a fair and healthy economy.
       These priorities were among those laid out by the 
     Washington, DC Interfaith community in releasing our own 
     Faithful Budget, which lays out how government spending could 
     align with these moral priorities: 
     http://bit.ly/faithful-budget. The ``People's Budget'' echoes 
     many of the key proposals outlined in the Faithful Budget, so 
     we're proud to support it. You can read more about

[[Page E430]]

     the ``People's Budget'' here: 
     http://bit.ly/peoples-budget.
       Our government should serve all of its citizens. By 
     bolstering the social safety net for those who most need it 
     and prioritizing measures that reduce the growing inequality 
     in our nation, The People's Budget does just that, and it 
     deserves the support of Congress. We urge you to vote for it 
     when it comes to the House Floor.
       Thank you for your consideration.

                          ____________________