November 30, 2020
Dear Member of Congress,
The Clean Budget Coalition, an alliance of labor, scientific, consumer, research, good government, faith, civil rights, community, health, environmental, and public interest groups, writes you to urge FY21 appropriations bills that are free from policy riders that harm the public.
No appropriations titles, package of bills, or continuing resolutions (should that be deemed the appropriate path to continue funding the government), should move forward if they contain poison pill policy riders that go against the public interest.
Unfortunately, such poison pill riders have existed as favors to corporate and special interests in previous appropriations cycles and therefore a set of “legacy poison pills,” must be removed from the FY21 appropriations bills. We ask that you take that stance as Congress processes the FY21 appropriations bills—keeping out new policy riders that would harm the public as well as removing those that have become embedded. And as President Biden begins his term in the White House and gives the nation a fresh start, it becomes even more imperative that these legacy poison pill riders be removed to allow the new Administration the full range of options for crafting policy that is both boldly progressive in its design and also reflective of the treacherous moment our nation finds itself in. The budgetary decisions before us are not just about funding the government as a matter of yearly routine, but are now also about ensuring that the special needs of the COVID-19 moment are able to be fully addressed.
The American people have always opposed the abuse of the budget process to roll back public protections. Especially now in the throes of a national pandemic, the federal budget should fund the things that Americans care about, not undo essential safeguards. The American people support policies to:
- 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;
- Defend our campaign finance, election, census systems and support DC statehood;
- Provide access to justice and fair housing;
- Protect human and civil rights; and
- Guarantee continued access to vital health care services including comprehensive reproductive health care, among other things.
Again, the public does not support including damaging policy in must-pass appropriations bills that would undo any of these protections, and any previously included policy of that nature must be removed.
In the wake of a uniquely tumultuous 2020, the American people deserve a 2021 budget that
ensures ample resources throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We urge Members of Congress to fully fund important public services and to reject any flawed bills that fail to remove poison pill policy riders that would undo essential public safeguards.
Sincerely,
20/20 Vision
AFL-CIO
African American Ministers in Action
AFSCME
Alaska Wilderness Action
American Association for Justice
American Bird Conservancy
Americans for Financial Reform
American Federation of Teachers
Animal Wellness Action
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bend the Arc Jewish Action
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
Catholics for Choice
Center for American Progress
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Clean Water Action
Chapel Hill Organization for Clean Energy
Coalition on Human Needs
Coalition for Health Funding
Common Cause
Communications Workers of America
Consumer Action
Consumer Federation of America
DCVote
Defenders of Wildlife
Democracy 21
Earthjustice
Endangered Species Coalition
GreenLatinos
Greenpeace USA
Harrington Investments, Inc.
Hispanic Federation
Humane Society Legislative Fund
Impact Fund
Innovative Green Builders
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
League of Conservation Voters
Los Padres ForestWatch
Main Street Alliance
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association of Consumer Advocates
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
National Council of Jewish Women
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Fair Housing Alliance
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Women's Health Network
National Women’s Law Center
Natural Resources Defense Council
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
New Jersey Association on Correction
New Progressive Alliance
Ocean Conservancy
Partnership for Policy Integrity
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
People for the American Way
People’s Action
Protect All Children’s Environment Public Citizen
Public Justice Center Public Knowledge Rachel Carson Council
Safe Climate Campaign
SEIU
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
Sierra Club
Union of Concerned Scientists
The United State of Women
U.S. PIRG
Voices for Progress
The Wilderness Society
Woodstock Institute