Sen. Carper on President Trump’s Budget: Numbers Don’t Lie

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement regarding the drastic cuts to environmental and public health protections as well as infrastructure programs that are included in President Trump's fiscal year 2018 budget proposal:

"Since taking office, we've heard President Trump say a lot of things. He's told us he would work to promote clean air and clean water. He's claimed that protecting Americans is important to him and said repeatedly that he wants to rebuild our country's infrastructure. But his budget proposal makes it abundantly clear that those were nothing more than empty promises.

"I started my career as State Treasurer in Delaware. While President Trump may be able to equivocate, numbers don't lie.

"No matter what he says, when President Trump includes eliminating TIGER grants in his budget proposal, he is not actually serious about rebuilding our infrastructure. When President Trump cuts hundreds of millions of dollars from the Superfund and Brownfields programs at the same time he cuts the enforcement budget to hold polluters accountable, he is not truly interested in keeping our communities safe. When he zeroes out funding for critical regional watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes, President Trump proves that ensuring Americans have clean water is not his priority.

"My colleagues on both sides of the aisle rightly rejected the draconian cuts in President Trump's so-called 'skinny budget.' Unfortunately, the president's full budget proposal is just as irresponsible and shortsighted. Congress must now step up to the plate and come together to develop serious fiscal proposals that will actually protect Americans' health and safety and grow our economy."