Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced amendments to the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 budget resolution, including to reinstate 5,500 recently terminated federal public lands staff, recognize that Russia started the war against Ukraine, protect Medicaid and rural health care funding, safeguard USDA conservation programs, and expand the Child Tax Credit.
“Senate Republicans have made it clear they are willing to turn their backs on hard-working Americans in order to cut taxes for the wealthiest in this country,” said Bennet. “They are just as willing to turn their backs on the Ukrainian people’s fight against Russian aggression to satisfy President Trump. These are dangerous positions and take our country in the wrong direction.”
Specifically, Bennet’s amendments would:
- Reinstate roughly 5,500 recently fired National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management employees;
- Recognize that Russia started its unjustified and unprovoked war against Ukraine following President Trump’s false claim earlier this week that Ukraine “started it”;
- Oppose policies that would financially harm rural hospitals and providers, such as cuts to Medicaid;
- Reduce child poverty through an expanded Child Tax Credit;
- Prohibit funding cuts to USDA conservation programs.