Fiscal Responsibility
Over the years, Democrats have shown our commitment to restoring fiscal responsibility by taking actions that have reduced our national deficit while investing in the American people’s priorities. During the 117th Congress, House Democrats delivered the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, which will reduce the deficit by over $300 billion while lowering health care and energy costs and taking action on climate change. In sharp contrast, Republicans jammed their 2017 Trump Tax Scam through Congress without a single hearing, gifting trillions of dollars in unpaid-for tax handouts to the wealthiest Americans and large corporations while leaving our nation with ballooning deficits. They have repeatedly held our economy hostage to benefit their irresponsible ideological agenda, whether creating artificial “fiscal cliffs,” shutting down the government, or bringing our nation to the brink of defaulting on its obligations. With other landmark legislation delivered during the 117th Congress, including the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the CHIPS and Science Act, Democrats have worked to invest in economic recovery, job creation, all while cutting the deficit in half last year. Democrats are committed to continuing our work to restore sound, long-term fiscal management so future generations can afford to invest in opportunities, secure the American Dream, and ensure workers have the tools to Make It In America.
The American people expect us to work together to create jobs, grow the economy, and reduce the deficit – not take the government to the brink of a shutdown by including partisan, ideological policy riders in appropriations bills,” said Whip Hoyer. “That’s why Democrats are sending a letter to Republicans asking them to live up to their pledge to not use must-pass legislation to advance a partisan agenda. We note that not all policy riders are objectionable, and ask that controversial policy riders be removed from these bills. I hope Republicans will work with us on this issue, and focus on getting Americans back to work.
GOP quote of the day goes to House Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon:
"We're going to have to stop repeating ideological talking points and address our budget problems comprehensively, through smarter spending and increased revenue.”
Wanted to be sure you saw this Washington Post article on a CRS report that found a quarter of millionaires in the U.S. pay taxes at a lower rate than middle class families.
Big, bold and balanced, I hope that's what the Committee is focused on, what we call the Select Committee on Deficit Reduction or, affectionately, the Super Committee. It is a Super Committee in the sense that it has been given extraordinary powers to come up with a proposal that will then be considered, and 51 members of the Senate can pass it. If a majority of the Senate agrees, it will pass. A majority of the House agrees, it will pass and go to the President.
Last week, Members of Congress were back in our districts listening to constituents and exchanging ideas about how to fix our economy. They heard the same message again and again. Right now, this country is in real trouble, and our greatest challenge is creating jobs. Not just any jobs but good jobs, high-paying jobs that will help more of our people 'make it' in America. To do so, we will have to invest in education, innovation, and creating the conditions for businesses to launch and expand. The best way to do it is to reinvigorate the sector of our economy that 'makes things,' because strong manufacturing can yield benefits across our economy. That is what Make It In America is all about.
By standing united, Democrats helped ensure that the continuing resolution brought to the Floor and passed today does not cut jobs or put disaster relief funds at risk like the partisan bill first offered by Republicans did. Now that we have taken action to keep the government running through November 18th, we must focus on the top priorities of the American people: creating jobs and bringing down the deficit in a balanced way. I sincerely hope that in the coming weeks we will work together to meet the challenges facing our nation.
As the fiscal year comes to an end today, it’s time for a fiscal new year’s resolution to bring down our nation’s deficit in a balanced way and restore fiscal responsibility. Democrats are committed to deficit reduction, and it will require tough choices for both parties as well as shared sacrifice by all Americans.
Today, Leader Reid offered unanimous consent, which essentially adopted the agreement we made in very tough negotiations over the debt limit and an agreement that emergencies like natural disasters needed additional headroom. There was an agreement that we would have additional spending if we were faced with a disaster. In the House debate, clearly everyone understood that we were faced with the disasters.
Unfortunately for Rep. Dreier, his comments on the Floor during the Rule debate that just ended were still wrong about Mr. Hoyer’s position on the CR that failed yesterday. To help him out, here are some quotes from colloquy and from pen and pad that clearly show that Mr. Hoyer was never supportive of the CR.
Colloquy, Thursday, September 15:
A look at this morning’s headlines show divided House Republicans will need to work with Democrats on a bipartisan basis in order to pass a bill to fund the government and provide aid to those affected by recent disasters.