Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. AMO. Mr. Chair, I ask myself two questions on every vote: Who does this benefit? Who does this hurt?

Today, the answers are clear. This Republican budget resolution would benefit the richest 1 percent. Who would it hurt? Working-class families struggling to make ends meet.

It threatens third graders in my hometown of Pawtucket who rely on the community eligibility provision to eat school breakfast and lunch. It threatens a new mom on Aquidneck Island who needs Medicaid to afford postpartum care. It threatens seniors in East Providence who depend on Medicaid's home- and community-based services to stay connected to their loved ones as they age at home.

All of these ordinary Americans would get hurt. For what? To pay for tax cuts for the rich. Don't believe me? Look at the numbers.

The Republican plan could slash $230 billion from SNAP and $880 billion from Medicaid, two proposals which allow them to turn around and shovel $1.1 trillion in tax giveaways to the richest 1 percent.

Mr. Chair, when I first read through this resolution, I thought surely it must be a mistake, there is no way that Republicans would intentionally hurt working Americans, right?

Wrong. Democrats tried to stop the madness over and over, but Republicans refused to listen.

Just yesterday, Republicans refused to consider my amendment to block cuts to SNAP and programs that provide free and reduced-price lunches for students. You heard that right. Republicans want to make it harder for hungry children to eat.

Republicans also refused to join me in supporting Medicaid. It provides health coverage to 72 million Americans, including over 300,000 Rhode Islanders. That is not a typo. Republicans are putting the needs of billionaires above the needs of ordinary Americans. If that isn't a betrayal, I don't know what is.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source