Clean Budget Coalition Opposes Inappropriate Riders and Rescissions
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dear Members of Congress,
As a part of the Clean Budget Coalition, we, the undersigned organizations write to ask you to oppose any FY 2019 appropriations measures which include ideological poison pill policy riders.
Time and time again, members of Congress attempt to quietly slip in special interest wish list items that couldn’t pass as standalone legislation into must-pass funding packages as poison pill riders.
Appropriations bills must not be misused to undermine essential safeguards. Slipping unrelated and damaging issues into must-pass appropriations bills as a means to win approval is a dangerous strategy for the public.
Poison pill riders are unpopular and damaging, and the public opposes using them to roll back public protections. The American people support policies to:
- Restrain Wall Street abuses;
- Ensure safe and healthy food and products;
- Secure our air, land, water and wildlife;
- Safeguard fair and safe workplaces;
- Guard against consumer rip-offs and corporate wrongdoing;
- Defend our campaign finance and election systems;
- Provide access to justice and fair housing;
- Protect civil rights; and
- Guarantee continued access to vital health care services including reproductive health care, and more.
This year, in addition to threatening the budget process with harmful riders, the White House proposed rescissions that would claw back funds already appropriated in past spending packages — reneging on bipartisan agreements, where the latest took more than 15 months to pass. Like poison pill riders, rescissions cater to ideological extremists, represent a breach of regular order and threaten Congress’ ability to reach bipartisan spending agreements.
We urge Members of Congress to oppose the White House rescissions package, to abide by the funding numbers agreed upon in that deal to fund the essential programs our nation needs for FY19, and to reject any flawed spending measures that includes poison pill policy riders.
Sincerely,
National Groups
Action on Smoking and Health
AFL-CIO
AFSCME
Alaska Wilderness League
American Association for Justice
American Federation of Teachers
Americans for Financial Reform
Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bend the Arc Jewish Action
Black Women’s Health Imperative
Center for Reproductive Rights
Clean Water Action
Coalition on Human Needs
Common Cause
Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Compassion & Choices
Consumer Federation of America
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Democracy 21
Earthjustice
Endangered Species Coalition
Farmworker Justice
Friends of the Earth – US
Hip Hop Caucus
Hispanic Federation
Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings
Impact Fund
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW
Jewish Women International
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
League of Conservation Voters
League of Women Voters of the United States
Main Street Alliance
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association of Consumer Advocates
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Council of Jewish Women
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Women’s Health Network
National Women’s Law Center
Natural Resources Defense Council
New Progressive Alliance
Oceana
PAI
People For the American Way
PLACE
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Institute
Power Shift Network
Protect All Children’s Environment
Public Citizen
Public Knowledge
Rachel Carson Council
Restore America’s Estuaries
Safe Climate Campaign
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Sierra Club
The Arc of the United States
The Wilderness Society
U.S. PIRG
Union of Concerned Scientists
Voices for Progress
Workplace Fairness
Young Invincibles
State Groups
Hispanic Federation, Connecticut
Hispanic Federation, Florida
New Jersey Association on Correction, New Jersey
Public Justice Center, Maryland
Save Our Sky Blue Waters, Minnesota[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]