84 Groups Urge Congress to Remove Legacy Riders From FY21 Appropriations Bills

Capitol B&W flipped

Dear Member of Congress,

The Clean Budget Coalition, an alliance of labor, scientific, consumer, research, good government, faith, civil rights, community, health, environmental, and public interest groups, writes you to urge FY21 appropriations bills that are free from policy riders that harm the public.

No appropriations titles, package of bills, or continuing resolutions (should that be deemed the appropriate path to continue funding the government), should move forward if they contain poison pill policy riders that go against the public interest.

Unfortunately, such poison pill riders have existed as favors to corporate and special interests in previous appropriations cycles and therefore a set of “legacy poison pills,” must be removed from the FY21 appropriations bills.  We ask that you take that stance as Congress processes the FY21 appropriations bills—keeping out new policy riders that would harm the public as well as removing those that have become embedded.

And as President Biden begins his term in the White House and gives the nation a fresh start, it becomes even more imperative that these legacy poison pill riders be removed to allow the new Administration the full range of options for crafting policy that is both boldly progressive in its design and also reflective of the treacherous moment our nation finds itself in. The budgetary decisions before us are not just about funding the government as a matter of yearly routine, but are now also about ensuring that the special needs of the COVID-19 moment are able to be fully addressed.

The American people have always opposed the abuse of the budget process to roll back public protections. Especially now in the throes of a national pandemic, the federal budget should fund the things that Americans care about, not undo essential safeguards. The American people support policies to:

  • Ensure safe and healthy food and products;
  • Restrain Wall Street abuses;
  • Secure our air, land, water, and wildlife;
  • Safeguard fair and safe workplaces;
  • Guard against consumer rip-offs and corporate wrongdoing;
  • Defend our campaign finance, election, census systems and support DC statehood;
  • Provide access to justice and fair housing;
  • Protect human and civil rights; and
  • Guarantee continued access to vital health care services including comprehensive reproductive health care, among other things.

Again, the public does not support including damaging policy in must-pass appropriations bills that would undo any of these protections, and any previously included policy of that nature must be removed.

In the wake of a uniquely tumultuous 2020, the American people deserve a 2021 budget that ensures ample resources throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We urge Members of Congress to fully fund important public services and to reject any flawed bills that fail to remove poison pill policy riders that would undo essential public safeguards.

Sincerely,

20/20 Vision

AFL-CIO

African American Ministers in Action

AFSCME

Alaska Wilderness Action

American Association for Justice

American Bird Conservancy

Americans for Financial Reform

American Federation of Teachers

Animal Wellness Action

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Bend the Arc Jewish Action

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

Catholics for Choice

Center for American Progress

Center for Biological Diversity

Center for Reproductive Rights

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Clean Water Action

Chapel Hill Organization for Clean Energy

Coalition on Human Needs

Coalition for Health Funding

Common Cause

Communications Workers of America

Consumer Action

Consumer Federation of America

DCVote

Defenders of Wildlife

Democracy 21

Earthjustice

Endangered Species Coalition

GreenLatinos

Greenpeace USA

Harrington Investments, Inc.

Hispanic Federation

Humane Society Legislative Fund

Impact Fund

Innovative Green Builders

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

International Fund for Animal Welfare

Jewish Council for Public Affairs

John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

League of Conservation Voters

Los Padres ForestWatch

Main Street Alliance

NARAL Pro-Choice America

National Association for College Admission Counseling

National Association of Consumer Advocates

National Center for Lesbian Rights

National Coalition for the Homeless

National Community Reinvestment Coalition

National Council of Jewish Women

National Employment Law Project

National Employment Lawyers Association

National Fair Housing Alliance

National Low Income Housing Coalition

National Partnership for Women & Families

National Women’s Health Network

National Women’s Law Center

Natural Resources Defense Council

NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice

New Jersey Association on Correction

New Progressive Alliance

Ocean Conservancy

Partnership for Policy Integrity

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

People for the American Way

People’s Action

Protect All Children’s Environment

Public Citizen

Public Justice Center

Public Knowledge

Rachel Carson Council

Safe Climate Campaign

SEIU

Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States

Sierra Club

Union of Concerned Scientists

The United State of Women

U.S. PIRG

Voices for Progress

The Wilderness Society

Woodstock Institute