Ranking Member Boyle Opening Statement at Committee Mark Up of Republican Economic Plan to Betray the Middle Class

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, delivered opening remarks at a committee markup of the Republican budget—a proposal that undermines the middle class by cutting essential programs that help millions of families afford health care, put food on the table, and keep their children in school. This plan prioritizes billionaire donors over hardworking Americans, stealing taxpayer dollars away from the middle class to benefit the wealthy.

Remarks as delivered and video are below:

Ranking Member Boyle’s full opening remarks as delivered:

There have been areas where we have worked hard and achieved common ground. This budget is not one of them.

Let’s be clear:  This plan is a Republican betrayal of the middle class.

It does not support hardworking Americans, it undermines them.

Instead of investing in working families, House Republicans have crafted a plan that takes from working Americans to give to their billionaire donors.

The facts speak for themselves.

This budget rips healthcare away from millions while handing out 4.5 trillion in tax breaks, the overwhelming majority of which go to billionaires and wealthy corporations.

It slashes at least $230 billion from food assistance programs, at a time when grocery prices remain at record highs.

And it proposes, and I hope every American listens to this, it proposes at least $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

Do you know how many Americans rely on Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act?

About 20 million Americans rely on the A.C.A. Or Obamacare, and more than 72 million people rely on Medicaid.

That includes children, seniors and individuals with disabilities.

All so billionaires can get even a bigger tax cut that they don’t need, and the hardworking people in this country can’t afford to give them.

Let’s not forget, during a very long presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to lower costs, and I quote, on “day one”.

I was just at the grocery store. Have you noticed prices going down? Have you seen eggs recently? That’s a broken promise.

But he is keeping his promise. I have to admit, Donald Trump and Republicans are keeping their word when it comes to billionaires.

As he said to billionaire donors of his gathered at Mar a Lago, “you’re rich as hell, we’re going to give you tax cuts.”

This Republican plan makes good on that Trump promise at Mar a Lago.

And let’s talk about the hypocrisy here. I can’t tell you how many times over my adult life, I have heard any time there’s a Democrat in the White House my friends on the other side of the aisle bemoaning the size of the national debt.

Well, here we have a Republican trifecta. Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. Where’s their debt reduction plan? It’s not here.

In fact, they increased the national debt by four trillion dollars.

We shouldn’t be surprised, after all, when it comes to adding to our national debt, no president in American history added more than Donald Trump. And it looks like he and his Republican compatriots are about to double down on the size of that addition to our debt.

We will not stand by on this side of the aisle and further undermine working Americans.

Let me be clear, Democrats will fight back.

Yes, we’re in the minority, but we’re not going to give up. We are going to do everything we can to educate the American people on what is in this budget and why it is so bad for them and their families.

We will not stand by while Republicans undermine working families to put billionaires first.

So, we’re going to have a lot of time together today.

We’re beginning early in the morning, and we’ll be here late at night and all throughout the day to have this vigorous debate on the Republican rip off, the Republican betrayal of the middle class of this country.

And with that, I yield back.

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