Ranking Member Press
Sessions Comments On CBO’s Updated Budget Projections
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today regarding the May baseline update from the Congressional Budget Office: "CBO's baseline update, while providing some favorable change in deficit estimates, shows that the nation still faces a serious long-term problem. After temporary improvement, deficits begin a relentless rise after 2015. Revenues increase by 46 percent over the following 8 years, but spending surges… Continue Reading
05.06.13
Sessions Comments On New Heritage Foundation Analysis Of Gang Of Eight Plan
"At a time when our nation's major entitlements are already nearing bankruptcy, we cannot afford to add another $6.3 trillion in long-term net costs to already over-burdened state, local, and federal governments… This bill may be good for the special interests who helped write it. But it's bad for workers, bad for taxpayers, and fails to serve the national interest." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement … Continue Reading
04.30.13
Ranking Member Sessions: Gang Of Eight Loopholes Mean Swift Access To Public Aid For Illegal Immigrants
"I hope the Gang's members will propose or support amendments to address the legislation's enormous federal costs and to ensure that illegal immigrants will not become dependent on already-burdened state and local benefit programs." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today regarding a number of identified loopholes in the Gang of Eight bill that will allow illegal immigrants to access public benefits far soon… Continue Reading
04.17.13
Ranking Member Sessions Asks CBO To Provide Estimate Of Long-Term Cost Of Immigration Bill
"The legislation would enable millions of illegal immigrants to access federal and state welfare and entitlement programs, with the most significant costs occurring outside the 10-year budget window when they would be eligible for green cards and ultimately citizenship. No lawmaker should vote on this legislation until we have a complete and thorough estimation of the long-term cost." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, sent a letter today … Continue Reading
04.10.13
Senate Committees Sound Alarm Over Cost Concerns With Gang Immigration Proposal
"It is essential that we have answers to these questions before any legislation is unveiled so that the public can be informed and provide input… As we discovered through several oversight requests from the Agriculture, Budget, and Judiciary Committees, existing federal immigration law designed to protect taxpayers is not enforced by this administration. One of the biggest challenges facing any reform of our nation's immigration laws is the refusal of this administration to enforce the la… Continue Reading
04.10.13
Sessions: President’s Budget ‘Not Merely Reckless; It Is Unthinkable’
"This proposal goes to extraordinary lengths to shield the federal bureaucracy from any reform, even as millions of Americans are trapped in failed government programs. It grows the government at the expense of the economy. It enriches the bureaucracy at the expense of the people. And it threatens to permanently depress the American economy under a never-ending avalanche of debt." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following sta… Continue Reading
04.01.13
Sessions Delivers Opening Remarks As Senate Begins Debate On First Budget In Four Years
"If the American people take nothing else away from this debate, it should be that the party running this Senate, spending your dollars, refuses to ever balance the federal budget… [Their plan's] surging debt and taxes will crush American workers, close American factories, and depress American wages… This budget effectively shows no concern for Americans living in poverty, struggling to find work, trapped in a stale bureaucratic welfare state… This budget perpetuates the mi… Continue Reading
03.23.13
Sessions Comments On Passage Of Senate Majority’s First Budget In Four Years
"Now that the Senate majority has written a plan we can finally begin this conversation: Do we balance the budget and grow the economy for all Americans? Or do we continue to enrich the bureaucracy at the expense of the people?" WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement tonight after the budget plan authored by Chairman Patty Murray and the Senate Democrats failed to garner majority support, but was approved by a vot… Continue Reading
03.23.13
Senate Democrats Vote To Give Free Healthcare And Obamacare To Illegal Immigrants As Part Of Immigration Reform
"This will dramatically accelerate the insolvency of our entitlement programs and is unfair to American workers and taxpayers." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement tonight following a 43-56 vote on his amendment to ensure that illegal immigrants cannot access free and taxpayer-funded health care if they are granted legal status as part of any immigration bill: "The core legal and economic principle of immigration is that… Continue Reading
03.21.13
Sessions Comments After Senate Democrats Stunningly Oppose Balancing The Budget Through Any Means Whatsoever
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement after Senate Democrats voted against his motion to recommit the Murray budget to committee with instructions to find a way to balance the budget in 10 years. Only Sen. Joe Manchin joined with Republicans in support of balancing the federal budget. Sessions' comment follows: "Tonight the American people witnessed a remarkable and alarming event: the Senate's Democrat majority declared the… Continue Reading
03.18.13
Sessions Replies To Vilsack On Foreign SNAP Promotions, Seeks Cost Info Ahead Of Budget Votes
"As you may know, the Senate [is scheduled to] vote on the budget resolution. To assist Senators in their work on the budget, and as well as work on future government funding measures, it would be helpful to have certain additional details about the food stamp program as well as the 14 other nutrition-support programs administered by USDA… According to the standards you referenced, immigrants can access 85 percent of the welfare state and still not be deemed public charges. You may also b… Continue Reading
03.14.13
Ranking Member Sessions Remarks On Conclusion Of FY14 Senate Budget Mark-Up
"This is the kind of meeting we should have been having all along-public, open process… [but] I remain deeply disappointed that the majority's proposal not only fails to change our debt course, but actually increases spending over the next 10 years-including $162 billion of increased spending next year alone… What is particularly troubling is that the majority shields from accountability government programs that are failing those who need our help the most… The Murray budget… Continue Reading
03.13.13
After Reviewing Murray Budget, Sessions Conveys ‘Deep Disappointment’
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after his initial review of the Murray budget which, if enacted, would be the first Senate Democratic budget in four years: "Four years have passed since the last time Senate's Democrat majority attempted to pass a budget. Four years of trillion-dollar deficits. Yet, to my amazement and deep disappointment, the majority has come forward today with a proposal that does n… Continue Reading
03.13.13
Sessions Delivers Opening Statement At Committee Meeting To Produce First Senate Democrat Budget In Four Years
"Is it really possible that after four years, the majority has failed to identify any reforms? That all we have is just a tax-and-spend budget that makes no alteration to our dangerous debt course? Does the majority believe the government is perfect and requires no reform? … Is the Budget Committee of the United States Senate really prepared to say we cannot balance the federal budget? If that is so, it is a sad day in America… I fear the majority's plan will enrich the bureaucrac… Continue Reading
03.09.13
Sessions Delivers Weekly Republican Address
"We need to grow the economy-not the government… Government has never been bigger or more out of control. They say there is no problem with waste, fraud, and abuse; they say the problem is you; they say you are not sending them enough money; they say they have wisely spent every penny. So, you must just send them more. And, if you don't? Well, they won't stop spending, they'll just borrow more. These destructive policies cannot continue. We are at the breaking point." WASHINGTON, D.C.-In… Continue Reading
03.08.13
Sessions, Ryan Call For Halt On Taxpayer Funding For Risky High-Speed Rail Project
"We are deeply troubled by the prospects of subsidizing another costly, wasteful, and risky high-speed rail project, particularly when our nation is facing a debt crisis that threatens the well-being of the current and future generations of Americans… We would urge the Administration to reject the XpressWest loan application and to direct its available RRIF funds to more worthy transportation infrastructure projects that could truly provide a reasonable rate of return to the taxpayers of … Continue Reading
03.04.13
Sessions Comments On Nomination Of New OMB Director
"The Director must lead an effort to make government leaner and more efficient, and must be committed to providing honest and accurate information on the dangerous financial condition of our country." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today regarding President Obama's nomination of Sylvia Burwell to head the Office of Management and Budget: "We will fairly and thoughtfully evaluate this nomination. Whoever h… Continue Reading
03.01.13
Sessions: Data In New State Dept. Letter Further Proves Immigrant Welfare Prohibition Being Ignored
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today regarding newly released data from the State Department demonstrating that only 0.0033 percent of net applications for admission to the United States were denied on "public charge" grounds in 2011, despite the federal law prohibiting admission of any individual deemed likely to be a public charge: "The data just provided by the State Department, like that recently provi… Continue Reading
03.01.13
Sessions: Fed Workers Should Have Opportunity To Find Budget Savings
"[Federal] workers know firsthand how much waste and inefficiency exists in the government. Our Budget Committee office will look for a way to solicit federal employees to send suggestions for how to save money in their departments, agencies, and divisions. What is better? To furlough someone or to empower them to make their office more efficient?" WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today as the sequester was… Continue Reading
02.28.13
Sessions Delivers Opening Remarks At Budget Committee Hearing On Government Spending
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, delivered remarks today at a Budget Committee hearing scheduled by the majority to make the case for additional federal "investments." Sessions' remarks, as prepared, follow: "Thank you, Chairman Murray. This hearing deals with an important subject: Government spending and long term economic growth. It provides an important opportunity to address the economic harm caused by excessive federal spending and … Continue Reading
