'Children Have Been Robbed': Sen. Bob Casey Says U.S. Is Falling Behind Because Of Misplaced Priorities
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Senator Bob Casey said America's children have been cheated.
Casey came to the Weil Elementary School in the Hill District on Wednesday, where he unveiled a 33-page program called "Five Freedoms for America's Children."
"We believe that every child is born with a light inside them," said Pennsylvania's senior senator.
But Casey claimed Washington D.C. acts against American's children.
"Children have been robbed of resources, robbed because we don't invest in our schools enough and robbed because we don't invest in our health care," Casey said.
"We've decided as a nation, over time, to give obscene tax cuts to the very wealthy," he added.
He says federal programs that educate children, guarantee them affordable health care and prevent child abuse have been underfunded to the tune of more than $20 billion a year.
"Tens of billions of dollars, year after year after year, for up to about 18 years, have gone to the top one percent instead of to our kids," Casey said.
That compromises a child's freedom to be healthy, safe, learn and be economically secure.
One of these five freedoms is the freedom from hunger, which is why Senator Casey took the time to serve lunch to elementary school students.
The program is underwritten by the federal government, but Sen. Casey believes that more kids should be eligible for free meals.
"No matter what a child's circumstances, if they need a meal, they will get a meal," Casey said.
To pay for all this, Casey is proposing a rollback in Pres. Donald Trump's tax plan that was approved in 2017, which would mean higher taxes for high-income earners and corporations.
