Tax and Appropriations

Wanted to make sure you saw today's op-ed in The Hill by House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) on President Obama's final State of the Union Address.

As we begin the new year and the Second Session of the 114^th Congress, newly elected Speaker Paul Ryan has an opportunity to turn the page on the bitter partisanship of the past few years and show that he is willing to work across the aisle to get things done for the American people.  The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that “House Speaker Paul Ryan starting this month will push to turn the chamber into a platform for ambitious Republican policy ideas.”  But evidence points to the contrary, with the first items on the House’s agenda for 2016 being the sixty-second vote to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act, the eleventh vote to attack women’s health, and several bills that would undermine consumer safety, workplace safety, and environmental protections.  House Republican leaders know these bills will never become law, yet they continue to pander to the far right with political messaging bills instead of bringing substantive, bipartisan legislation to the Floor. It is also unfortunate that Speaker Ryan has already taken issues such as comprehensive immigration reform and an expansion of paid family and medical leave off of the table. 

This afternoon, the House and Senate received a letter from the Treasury Department providing notice that the extraordinary measures employed to avoid a default on or debt will be exhausted on November 5.

This week, Republicans are negotiating an unworkable budget agreement that disinvests in our nation's long-term economic growth and makes it harder for working Americans to get ahead. 

The [Oversight and Government Reform Committee] Ranking Member [Elijah Cummings] said this was a bill to solve a nonexistent problem.

Today is the last opportunity for millions of Americans to file their taxes, and for many it is a reminder of the tangible contribution each of us makes in making the country we love safer, stronger, and more reflective of its core values.

I appreciate this opportunity to talk about how the budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2016 ought to guide our country in the direction of growth that is felt broadly, expanded opportunity, and a more competitive economy not just for today but for generations to come

On Monday, the President released his budget for Fiscal Year 2016. His budget proposal builds on the strength of our economic recovery to make smart investments that will increase our nation’s competitiveness, while ensuring that working families share in the benefits of the recovery.