Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. POCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the cuts to programs for working families that House Republicans seek to pass today.

Earlier this year, Congress did something responsible when it rejected President Trump's budget request to make devastating cuts to programs on which many Americans rely. Congress came together to make an investment in American communities and solve some pressing issues with an agreement by Democrats and Republicans.

However, these cuts today suddenly go back on that agreement, with a rescissions package that will hurt working families--all because they are saying that government is spending too much money.

Republicans caused that problem last year when they were grossly irresponsible and passed the GOP tax scam, a multitrillion-dollar giveaway to their donors, billionaires, and big corporations that they falsely sold as middle-class tax relief.

The majority's decision to blow a hole in the deficit and balloon our Nation's debt did very little to benefit working families, with 83 percent of the benefits going to the top 1 percent.

The Republican rescissions package will hurt the American people and make $7 billion in cuts to children's health insurance, $800 million in cuts to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and $40 million to rural housing programs, just to name a few.

While GOP donors, millionaires, billionaires, big corporations, and members of Mar-a-Lago still get their gift of tax cuts in the GOP tax scam, Republicans are committed to taking away what little they gave hardworking American families. That is apparently the priority of the majority Republican Party today. With actions like this, they will likely be the minority party of tomorrow.

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