WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today issued the following statement about President Obama’s decision not to be constrained by the sequester caps when he submits his budget on Monday:

“I support what the president has proposed and will work to eliminate the artificial sequestration cap on non-discretionary spending. It’s a step in the right direction and an important opportunity for us to rebuild the middle class by investing in education, child care, infrastructure and other important priorities. At a time when the United States is experiencing more wealth and income inequality than any major country on earth and when all the new income from 2009 to 2013 went to the top 1 percent, it is imperative that we begin to focus on the needs of working families and not the very rich.”