Amo Slams Republican Proposals to Tarnish Fiscal State of the Nation

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, in a House Committee on the Budget hearing, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01) called out the cynical Republican proposal that would slash Medicaid by $880 billion and cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $230 billion just to give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. The Congressional Budget Office has confirmedthat the Republican plan to slash Medicaid would lead to millions of Americans losing health coverage - hurting children, people with disabilities, seniors, new moms, and working families - while increasing the national debt by $14 trillion.

"Republicans are convinced they have to hurt vulnerable Americans to offset tax breaks for the richest one percent of Americans… [they] think it's right to cut health care and nutrition assistance for the vulnerable in order to make the rich even richer," said Congressman Amo. "It doesn't pass the smell test. The Republican plan will add $14 trillion to the national debt. That's fiscal insanity."

WATCH CONGRESSMAN AMO'S REMARKS HERE

BACKGROUND

According to estimatesprepared by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, a gross decrease of $860 billion in federal Medicaid spending would kick 2.4 million people off their health insurance by 2034.

The extreme Republican budgetis just the latest chapter in decades of Republican fiscal recklessness. Tax cuts by Presidents Bush and Trump, and their extensions, have added an astronomical $10 trillion to the national debt.

REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Thank you, Chair Arrington, for holding today's hearing on the fiscal state of the nation.

Republicans claim our nation is in poor fiscal health but refuse to look into the mirror to see the real problem.

Republicans are the ones pursuing a reckless plan that adds $14 trillion to the national debt!

Why are you hell-bent on making our nation's fiscal state even worse?

I'm reminded of the budget resolution markup three months ago. It's not fiscal responsibility to slash Medicaid by $880 billion and cut SNAP by $230 billion to shovel tax breaks into the pockets of the wealthiest in our country.

Medicaid delivers health care to a third of America and SNAP helps feed 1 in 5 Americans. But this is what Republicans are tripping over themselves to cut.

No messaging will cover up this scheme. Republicans claim they don't want to rip away health care from vulnerable Americans.

Yet, the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the only way to find $880 billion in spending cuts is to cut Medicaid to the bone.

This will hurt children, people with disabilities, seniors, new moms, and working-class families struggling to make ends meet.

If you really want to protect Medicaid, sign onto Ranking Member Boyle's discharge petition - let's prevent draconian cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Republicans are convinced they have to hurt vulnerable Americans to offset tax breaks for the richest one percent of Americans.

You heard that right, Republicans think it's right to cut health care and nutrition assistance for the vulnerable in order to make the rich even richer.

It doesn't pass the smell test. The Republican plan will add $14 trillion to the national debt.

I'll say that again - $14 trillion to the national debt.

That's fiscal insanity.

Thank you, I yield back.

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