Press Releases

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

This markup comes at a time when our Republican colleagues are pretending that business is usual when in fact it’s anything but. While they seek to gut health care and food assistance to wiggle out enough room for massive handouts to their rich donors and friends, and allow the richest man in the world to rifle through the American people’s most sensitive data, they want us to sit idly by, mark up some bills, and watch it all happen. Well, we won’t go away that quietly. 

Crises across the federal government are underway and Democrats on this committee will not stop fighting and pressuring our Republican colleagues to join us in finding sensible solutions to put the American people first.

 Right now, the American people are scared and angry.

 The House went home for 9 days, and we all saw and heard the resounding voice of Americans who don’t want unelected billionaires and their unqualified and unaccountable staff perusing their sensitive tax and healthcare information, while forcing out or firing dedicated public servants. At town halls all across this country, the message has been fierce: the American people want Trump and Musk’s hands off Medicaid, off Social Security, and away from their personal information. 

In polling, the result is the same. Recent credible and balanced studies have shown that over 80 percent of Americans find it unacceptable to gut Medicaid to pay for billionaire giveaways. 80 percent, including 71 percent of Trump supporters! The Republican strategy to dismantle health care is that unpopular with everyday Americans. 

You’d think all this outcry would give our colleagues some pause. But you’d be wrong. Instead, Republicans are doubling down on ignoring the American people’s fears by pursuing an agenda that could cut Medicaid by $880 billion and SNAP by $230 billion, while at the same time handing out a $1.1 trillion giveaway to those making over $743,000. The richest one percent. 

Do that math. That’s a dollar for dollar, reverse Robin Hood scam that steals from those who need it most to reward folks who won’t even feel the difference. The American people didn’t fall for it after 2017, and I would predict they won’t fall for it again.

This chaotic, extreme agenda from the Republican government is causing Americans angst. Uncertainty about the Trump economy is growing with good reason! Consumer sentiment has plunged by 10 percent, the cost of eggs has skyrocketed with no end in sight, the chaotic tariff scheme continues to threaten higher costs, and massive layoffs of federal workers continue to ignite uncertainty. 

Just look at tax filing numbers! The DOGE purge of the IRS has led to lower filing rates than at this same point last year. People are scared to file their returns. They’re scared of their personal information being leaked, and it getting into the hands of those who have no business harvesting it. What’s the point of marking up bills aimed at the IRS if nobody is there to answer the phones, hold tax cheats accountable, or process returns for Americans? 

The President’s cruelty is endangering the health and economic well-being of the nation. While this happens, not one Republican on this committee has batted an eye or asked a question. They are instead hard at work looking for ways to loot the American people and repeal sensible regulations in hopes of rewarding their wealthy friends who want to skirt tax laws and give a boost to unstable markets where illegal fentanyl, terrorism financing, and human trafficking markets flourish. 

Democrats on this Committee aren’t standing for it and won’t pretend that this is just normal business as usual. 

With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

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