79 Groups Call for a Clean Budget, Removal of Legacy Riders

For Immediate Release:
Nov. 4, 2019

Contact: David Rosen, drosen@citizen.org, (202) 588-7742

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress’ FY 2020 appropriations bills and continuing resolutions should remain free from poison pill policy riders that harm the public, 79 groups in the Clean Budget Coalition said in a letter sent to Congress today. Congress must act by the Nov. 21 funding deadline or risk another unwanted and costly government shutdown.

“Poison pill riders are unpopular and dangerous, and the public opposes the abuse of the budget process to roll back public protections,” the letter reads. “The budget should be funding the things that Americans care about, not undoing essential safeguards or being held hostage to non-starter demands for projects such as a border wall.”

The public supports policies that 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; affirm the local fiscal and legislative sovereignty of the District of Columbia; defend our campaign finance and election systems; promote economic fairness in banking, housing and business; provide access to justice and fair housing; protect human and civil rights, including the rights of immigrants; guarantee continued access to vital health care services, including comprehensive reproductive health care; and more.

Poison pills slipped into must-pass spending bills that would undo any of these protections are non-starters, the groups maintain.

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