WASHINGTON, DC–(ENEWSPF)–February 14, 2012. After President Obama released his FY 2013 budget, Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement:
“A budget is a reflection of our national values and priorities. The President has proposed a budget that focuses on helping the 99% and creating an economy that Americans both need and deserve. It is a solid blueprint for getting America working again and bringing fairness to our tax system.
“Extending unemployment insurance benefits, investing in our national infrastructure and hiring more teachers and other public servants are key components to getting America back to work. The President’s plan would create incentives for creating jobs at home while preventing more tax giveaways to companies that ship jobs overseas, support K-12 and higher education and make permanent tax credits that support working families.
“The President’s budget would also require that every American pay their fair share in taxes. That means allowing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to expire and making the Buffet Rule the law of the land. These are commonsense approaches to reforming our tax system and should earn the support of Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.
“However, we must make sure that any cuts to Medicaid and Medicare do not impact the quality or availability of healthcare services to the millions of Americans who depend on these programs.
“This is a budget that outlines what our priorities should be as a nation – focusing on the 99% ahead of the top 1%. The alternatives we have seen from Republicans simply do not measure up and would instead slash vital programs and preserve tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy which is exactly the wrong approach to broadening our economic recovery.”
With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers–not just corporations and CEOs–benefit from today’s global economy. www.seiu.org
Source: seiu.org
