House Majority's Reconciliation Bill is a "Wreck-conciliation" Bill for Hawaii Families

Statement

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today voted against H.R. 5652, The Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, a measure that cuts programs American families rely on.

"These are difficult times as our economic recovery is still fragile. That's why now more than ever, we need a balanced approach to our budget that prioritizes job creation, helps our families through our current challenges, cuts waste, and asks the wealthiest among us to pay their fair share. That's the way to replace the automatic across-the-board cuts that are set to take effect at the end of the year. It's a false choice to say we have to choose between defending our nation and standing up for our families. We can and should do both.

"This bill asks our most vulnerable to shoulder the burden, but doesn't ask the same of the wealthiest corporations and people. Instead, the burden falls to the nearly 140,000 Hawaii children who would go hungry without food assistance. And the over 7,300 of Hawaii's keiki who are being kept safe from abuse and neglect through child protective services. And the nearly 46,000 working Hawaii families with incomes below $50,000 who need the child tax credit to help pay their bills.

"This bill isn't a reconciliation bill; it's a "wreck-conciliation' bill for Hawaii's families. We owe it to Hawaii's families to find a balanced, bipartisan solution to our fiscal challenges. And I won't give up until we do," said Congresswoman Hirono.

As a result of the unbalanced approach to reducing our deficit taken by H.R. 5652, the bill is opposed by a range of groups including AARP, Catholic Charities, First Focus Campaign for Children, Easter Seals, and the International Association of Fire Fighters.

In addition to cutting food assistance for children, the child tax credit and child protective services, the bill also:

Repeals the Children's Health Insurance Program requirements, which could leave as many as 1.7 million children without health coverage nationwide.
Repeals the Prevention and Public Health Fund which would deny breast and cervical cancer screenings for thousands of women.
3. Eliminates support for 1,600 disabled, neglected, and abused adults who need occasional help to live at home safely.

Puts our economy back at risk by undoing Wall Street reforms that stop "Too Big To Fail" firms from relying on taxpayer bailouts, undermining the independence of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that keeps Wall Street honest, and eliminating programs to help families avoid foreclosure.

Source