Gillibrand Statement On Trump’s Possible $10 Billion DOJ Pay Day And How It Could Be Better Spent Reversing Cuts To New York

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) issued the following statement on the New York Times report that the Justice Department is holding internal discussions about settling the president’s dubious $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS that could “involve the government directly providing taxpayer funds or another public benefit to the president.” “The president is using his power to secure himself potentially a $10 billion payout from taxpayers. Meanwhile, at the gas pump, in the grocery store, and across everyday life, his agenda is driving up costs for working families. It’s blatant corruption and a betrayal of the American people. He’s getting a pay day, and Americans are paying the bill.” To put in this perspective, here are multiple examples of what $10 billion would mean for New York: $7.5 billion in federal funding for New Yorkers’ health care that was cut by Trump and Republicans last year $8 billion in funding for New York’s hospitals and health care systems that was cut because of Trump and Republicans $1.4 billion in funding for food assistance that was cut by of Trump and Republicans $850 million in federal funding for lifesaving biomedical research at New York universities and research institutions that Trump and Republicans attempted to cut last year $433 million was the proposed cut to New York State education programs in Trump’s latest budget $400 million was the proposed cut to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in New York State in Trump’s budget $139 million in federal grants for transportation projects in New York State that the Trump administration has canceled ###