ICYMI: Senate Republicans Double Down On Pro-Billionaire Agenda, Democrats Expose Their Skewed Priorities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Early this morning, Senate Republicans jammed through their budget resolution while making clear their number one priority is looking out for the wealthy and leaving regular people behind. No matter how many reconciliation bills they plan to pass, Senate Republicans revealed that they’re aligned with their House Republican counterparts who have proven time and time again that their ultimate goal is to give more tax breaks to billionaires and corporations at working families’ expense.
Senate Democrats offered amendments to the budget resolution that forced Republicans to show their cards. The amendments called for preventing more tax handouts for billionaires and stopping efforts to slash Medicaid to pay for more tax cuts for the rich, as well as protecting other vital programs that lower costs for families, such as SNAP and the Affordable Care Act. Republicans killed each and every one of these amendments.
“We all know that health care is still too expensive. Unfortunately, this reconciliation bill…is going to make that worse. In New Hampshire, we hear everyday of people rationing medicines, skipping appointments, and delaying care all because of costs. But we can act now to lower those costs. We can extend those premium tax credits because if we don’t act, they will skyrocket and 4 million Americans will lose their health insurance,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen before Senate Republicans killed her amendment to protect vital Affordable Care Act tax credits for millions of Americans.
“These proposals – cuts to housing, health care, infrastructure. They have one important thing in common. None of it is going to lower the costs for the American people. It’s going to increase our costs – all to give trillions of dollars of tax cuts to the wealthy,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar.
“Republicans had the opportunity to protect programs that make sure kids don’t go hungry.. They voted no. Republicans had the opportunity to support lower health care costs for millions of Americans. They voted no. And when asked to make sure that billionaires don’t get more tax breaks, Republicans again voted no,” said Unrig Our Economy spokesperson Kobie Christian. “These votes underline the real fears of families across the country – Republicans are coming for programs that benefit working people to give the ultra-rich a massive payday. At a time when prices are spiraling out of control, we need Congress to take action to lower our costs instead of advancing this pro-billionaire agenda.”
To learn more about the campaign, visit UnrigOurEconomy.com or contact [email protected]
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About Unrig Our Economy
Unrig Our Economy is a national campaign to fix the rules of our economy to make it work for working people. We know that when the middle class does well, all of us do well — which is why we’re fighting on behalf of working Americans and holding corporations, their wealthy executives, and the politicians who enable them accountable.