Van Hollen Statement on Trump Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Proposal

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and lead Democrat on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration's initial proposed budget for fiscal year 2027:

"Donald Trump's budget proposal reflects what the American people have come to despise about business-as-usual politics in Washington. Instead of keeping us out of foreign conflicts and combatting the rising cost of living crisis, he is doing the opposite - asking Congress to sign off on an astronomical $1.5 trillion defense budget to support his illegal war of choice in Iran along with even more money for his out-of-control ICE army, while cutting investments that help working families get by. Trump said yesterday 'we're fighting wars,' and can't address the people's needs here at home, and now his budget shows he is prioritizing the war he and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu started - which is making us less safe and costing us dearly in lives and resources - over American families. Rather than pouring huge additional sums into the Pentagon and a lawless ICE operation, we should focus instead on ensuring that Americans can meet their basic cost of living expenses, including access to affordable health care, child care, housing, utilities, and other essential needs. We must reject this unacceptable proposal and fight to enact a budget plan that reflects the true priorities of the American people."