Sen. Bernie Sanders had a warning for governors Monday: Their states will lose funding under the federal budget approved by Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress.
The Vermont senator — who is mulling a 2016 White House run — sent a letter to all 50 governors and the mayor of D.C. warning that the House and Senate budgets would hurt their states.
In letters addressed to each state leader, Sanders, a self-described socialist, warns what will happen to each individual state should the budget plan become law — specifically in terms of budget cuts.
“At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, it gives huge tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, while making devastating cuts to education, Medicare, affordable housing and prescription drug coverage,” wrote Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats and is the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee.
According to Sanders, “this budget is the Robin Hood principle in reverse. It takes from the poor to give to the rich.”
In his Florida letter, for example, Sanders warns Republican Gov. Rick Scott that the budget could cut subsidies for health coverage to 1.6 million Sunshine State residents. Sanders also outlines 10 other potential cuts facing Florida.
Congressional Republicans are set to meet this week to reconcile the House and Senate budgets adopted last month.
