ICYMI: As Congressional Budget Process Begins, Rep. McDonald Rivet Calls for a Budget That Helps Mid-Michigan’s Working Families 

WASHINGTON— Today, during a U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure budget markup, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) delivered her first official comments during the U.S. House budget process, laying out priorities centered around the needs of Michigan’s working families rather than the ultra-wealthy.

In her remarks, Congresswoman McDonald Rivet called on Republicans and Democrats to come together on priorities leaders in both parties claim to support: lowering costs, investing in American manufacturing, and protecting programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. You can watch the Congresswoman’s full remarks here.

Congresswoman McDonald Rivet said, in part, “We can, in fact, pass a positive, common sense agenda that prioritizes working families and move an agenda that Democrats and Republicans both campaigned on. We can cut taxes for working families. We can pass the child tax credit. We can defend life-saving programs like Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare. We can secure improvements in infrastructure and manufacturing and actually stand up to China, not just bluster about it. And we can support our law enforcement and our military. 

“Or, we can… [cut] taxes for the ultra-wealthy and keep loopholes open that allow mega-corporations to avoid paying their taxes. We do have choices – Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food assistance, public education or tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. That is what we’re facing.”

Demonstrating her commitment to that vision, Congresswoman McDonald Rivet introduced six common sense amendments in the markup that would improve lives in mid-Michigan. Those amendments would:

1. Protect Social Security by preventing any funds from being used to shut down field offices.
2. Promote public safety and support firefighters by reinstituting in-person training at the National Fire Academy.
3. Preserve and restore the Great Lakes with additional resources for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
4. Support emergency disaster victims by mandating the FEMA Administrator fulfill all outstanding disaster reimbursements.
5. Invest in locally-owned bridges by increasing funding to help local communities pay for repairs.
6. Ensure communities have clean water through investments in sewer and stormwater infrastructure.

You can find a video of the Congresswoman’s opening remarks here and today’s markup here.