WASHINGTON, March 19 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, called it ‘morally repugnant’ that Republicans tonight rammed through a budget plan that protects tax breaks for the rich and large corporations while cutting benefits that millions of Americans rely on.

“While the rich get richer and corporate profits soar, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages,” Sanders said. “Despite that, this morally repugnant Republican budget protects those on top who are doing the best while attacking the needs of the most vulnerable – working families, the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor.”

Sanders also attacked the Republicans for adding $38 billion to the deficit by increasing defense spending above sequestration levels with a budgetary gimmick. “The Republicans, who are prepared to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education and nutrition because of their alleged concern about the deficit, have no problem adding $38 billion to the deficit for increased military spending.  And they do it through a budgetary gimmick called the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) fund – which falls outside of the budgetary caps.  President Bush took us into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq without paying for them, adding trillions to our national debt.  It looks like the Republicans want to continue on that same path.”

The Republican budget will come to the Senate floor on Monday