New Schakowsky Website Seeks Constituent Input

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) launches a new interactive website today, You Choose, asking citizens their opinion about what kind of budget the House of Representatives should pass and send to the Senate.

The budget proposed by the House Republican majority and authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) contains spending cuts that affect defense and domestic spending including education, medical research, nutrition and job training, according to the website.

“Budgets are about choices—and the choices Congress makes over the coming months will affect every person and business in our country,” Schakowsky said on the website. “I want to hear what you would choose, and here is your first question.”

People responding then click a circle letting Schakowsky know if they prefer $1.2 trillion in proposed cuts or would rather change the tax code to eliminate deductions which benefit a small portion of the population. For those who want a detailed explanation, she offers it here.

“This site is designed to be interactive and really ask people to think about the choice and provide them more information about their choice,” Schakowsky Communications Director Sabrina Singh said in an email. “The questions will change every few weeks to keep a discussion going.”

If the House and Senate do not agree on a budget by May 19, members will not draw a salary until they pass one as a result of legislation passed in January to extend the nation’s debt ceiling.