Friend,

Budgets set up the priorities for our leaders -- like President Trump's 2020 budget that came out last week.

So what are his priorities? Well, cutting Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and cutting Medicare despite promising to keep it safe for seniors. Slashing the Environmental Protection Agency, cutting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a world health emergency, and ending the program that forgives student loan debt through public service.

In short: President Trump wants to cut programs that help working Americans. Sick Americans. Kids. Students. Public Servants. Families. And older Americans.

We've beat back budgets like this from Trump's White House before, and we'll do it again -- but these will sneak into legislation over the next year or more if we don't take back the Senate. It's that simple: If you don't like these priorities (and who does?!) then it's time to act. Donate $5 or more now to fund the fight to flip the Senate in 2020.

I want to dive a little deeper into this budget -- specifically, student loans.

We know this is a top priority for voters, because over the past thirty years, the average cost to attend a public four-year institution has more than tripled, and more than doubled at private four-year schools. The average student loan balance per borrower hit a record high in 2018: $35,359.

That's why you'll hear so many Democrats talking about ways to fix this on the campaign trail this year. But in contrast, Donald Trump is telling you he just doesn't care.

His budget ends the public service loan program, which teachers, police officers, government workers, and other public servants depend on to work in their field and not go bankrupt. The program forgives their remaining student loan balance after decades of payment -- right now, President Trump is telling them their service doesn't matter. He'd rather see them go bankrupt.

We'll keep Trump priorities from becoming Trump wins if we take back the Senate -- it's that simple, and right now, it couldn't be more important. Donate $5 or more now to elect Democrats in every seat we can win this fall.

Sincerely,

Chuck Schumer