Senate/House Democrats comment on budget deal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Democratic Leader Kay Floyd
Capitol: (405) 521-5610
Kay.Floyd@oksenate.gov 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Members of the Senate and House Democratic Caucuses issued the following statements after Republican leaders announced they’d reached agreement on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

“While we appreciate this agreement should negate the need for yet another costly special session, we are concerned the budget doesn’t address critical needs facing citizens in every district of the state. This is not a bipartisan budget, because it misses important opportunities to invest more in our schools, health and mental health, and other programs that would have improved the lives of working Oklahomans and their families.” – Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City.

"We will never stop demanding better for the people of Oklahoma. We're ready to support a budget if it solves the problems Oklahomans are facing every day and puts people over politics. Oklahomans want education funded for success for our kids, timely access to mental health care, and ethics systems that hold our elected officials accountable if they break the rules. What we've seen from the budget so far, these challenges are not yet being addressed." – Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City.

“By keeping the Democratic Leaders out of the public budget discussion process, issues important to Oklahomans have not been prioritized, such as affordable and accessible child care, addressing hunger by providing free school lunches to students across our state, and investing in health care to ensure people can access physicians and the care they need. Instead, we have observed Republican infighting, which unnecessarily prolonged the budget process. Now the process is being rushed, which does not give legislators, stakeholders, or the public enough time to fully understand the budget and know how our tax dollars will be spent. In the future, we need to work together on bipartisan solutions that address real challenges in our state and benefit all Oklahoma families.”– House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City.

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