MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
Yesterday, Republicans left town after once again kicking the can down the road and failing to address the priorities of the American people. Republicans have now gone home for the holidays without a plan to responsibly fund government for the remainder of the fiscal year or to address critical issues, such as a bipartisan, long-term reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program; protections for DREAMers; reauthorizing important national security tools; or taking measures to strengthen the Affordable Care Act. Instead, Republicans wasted the first session of the 115th Congress attempting to take health care away from millions of Americans; raising taxes on middle class families; and rolling back consumer, worker and environmental protections.
Republicans also voted on their deeply unpopular GOP tax scam bill, which was written in secret, behind closed doors in an attempt to hide it from the American people. The bill was so rushed through the process that the House had to vote on the bill twice after aspects of the bill failed to comply with Senate rules. This legislation would raise taxes on 86 million middle-class families, provide 83% of the tax cuts to the top 1%, and explode the deficit by $1.5 trillion. It would also leave 13 million Americans without health care and trigger a $25 billion cut to Medicare and additional cuts to other critical programs next year.
Over the past year, Republicans – who control all levers of government – failed to meet their responsibility to govern. In the new year, I encourage them to abandon their partisan agenda and instead work with Democrats in a bipartisan fashion to advance the priorities of the American people. When we return in January, we must work together to reach a bipartisan budget agreement, reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program and other health programs that have expired, and provide certainty to DREAMers that they can remain here, among other issues.
I wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season and new year.
Sincerely yours,
Steny H. Hoyer
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DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE
On Republicans’ Failure to Address Critical End-of-the-Year Priorities
- FACT SHEET: Do-Nothing 115th GOP Congress
- VIDEO: Hoyer Floor Remarks on Republicans’ Failure to Address Our Nation’s Priorities
- VIDEO: Hoyer Discusses Republicans’ Failure to Address the Priorities of the American People and the GOP Tax Scam on CNN
- VIDEO: Hoyer Discusses the GOP Tax Scam and Priorities That Must Be Addressed Before the End of the Year on Fox News
- Hoyer Testifies Before the Rules Committee on the Need to Fund the Government, Address Critical End-of-the-Year Priorities
- Hoyer Discusses the GOP Tax Scam and End-of-the-Year Priorities on NPR’s Morning Edition
- Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference with House Democrats on the Need to Pass the DREAM Act
- Hoyer Remarks at Rally Outside the Capitol with DREAMers
On the GOP Tax Scam
- FACT SHEET: GOP Tax Scam Raises Taxes on Middle-Class Households to Give Tax Cuts to the Wealthy
- VIDEO: Hoyer Discusses the GOP Tax Scam on CNBC
- Hoyer Statement on Republican Tax Bill Not Complying with Senate Rules
- Hoyer Floor Remarks Opposing the GOP Tax Scam Conference Report
- Hoyer Statement on the Tax Policy Center Analysis of the GOP Tax Scam Conference Report