Washington, DC— U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) released the following statement in response to the President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget proposal, which was released today:
 
President Obama’s budget proposal takes a more balanced approach to our spending by reducing the deficit by $4 trillion by 2022. But his plan is far from perfect.
 
I’m glad the budget plan acknowledges the reality that we can no longer afford to continue the Bush-era tax cuts for the rich and special giveaways for Big Oil. It’s unfortunate that some on Capitol Hill will continue opposing these proposals and further delay the savings they could bring. If Congress had followed the President’s call on this years ago, our deficit wouldn’t be as high as it is today.
 
While the President’s plan makes some important investments in renewable energy and transportation infrastructure, it misses the mark in other ways. The amount provided for Lewis and Clark is better this year than under the President’s last proposal, but it’s still not enough. I would have liked to have seen more money for infrastructure programs in Indian Country and changes made to competitive education programs that have put our state at a disadvantage. The Sun Grant Initiative also deserves funding but has been zeroed out under the President’s budget outline.
 
I’m continuing to review the plan put forth today, but these numbers are likely to change in the months ahead. I will be using my seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee to create a budget that puts our country on a sustainable long-term path while also investing in important priorities for South Dakota.