During the House Ways and Means Committee markup on the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion tax and spend spree, U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) has rejected this radical attempt to expand “cradle to grave” control of Americans’ lives, work, and families.
This behemoth spending bill would impose new taxes on American families and small businesses, as well as worsen the Biden Administration’s inflation crisis that already is wreaking havoc on our economy and hindering our recovery from the pandemic. As our nation faces multiple crises at home and abroad, the Democrats remain committed to pushing their radical left-wing agenda.
“Instead of focusing on oversight of the Biden Administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan or saving American citizens, we’re here to give this inept administration $3.5 trillion dollars for the biggest entitlement expansion in a generation,” said Congresswoman Walorski in her opening remarks. “This big-government wish list reveals the most urgent priorities of the Majority and the White House – leaving Americans behind and bankrolling socialist programs with taxpayer dollars.”
As small businesses experience a “help wanted” crisis across the country, this spending bill would exponentially expand entitlement programs, promote “welfare without work,” and keep an entire generation of workers on the sidelines.
“Republicans and Democrats agree on the importance of ensuring that people have a pathway to achieve the American Dream,” continued Congresswoman Walorski, who serves as the top Republican on the Worker and Family Subcommittee. “The biggest question is whether we need new massive federal entitlement programs. And the answer is we don’t.”
During the markup, Democrats already have blocked three of Congresswoman Walorski’s amendments to enact pro-growth, pro-work solutions, including two amendments to substitute Republicans’ “Protecting Worker Paychecks and Family Choice Act” to increase access to paid family and medical leave and affordable child care instead of Democrats’ radical approach, as well as her “TAA for Victims of Congressional Inaction on Trade Amendment” to provide assistance to workers displaced by Congressional Democrats’ inaction to renew GSP and MTB.
Watch Congresswoman Walorski’s Opening Remarks on Day 1 of the Markup
Read key excerpts of her remarks:
As we speak – we do not know how many of our fellow Americans are trapped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. In recent weeks, the Biden Administration has abandoned these Americans and entrusted their lives to the mercy of the Taliban. As the president leans on the goodwill of brutal terrorists to allow them to leave, we have an obligation to the families of American hostages to get them home safely.
Instead of focusing on oversight of the Biden Administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan or saving American citizens, we’re here to give this inept administration $3.5 trillion dollars for the biggest entitlement expansion in a generation. This big-government wish list reveals the most urgent priorities of the Majority and the White House – leaving Americans behind and bankrolling socialist programs with taxpayer dollars.
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Republicans and Democrats agree on the importance of ensuring that people have a pathway to achieve the American Dream.
The biggest question is whether we need new massive federal entitlement programs. And the answer is we don’t.
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Instead of doing the hard work of sitting down to discuss compromise and build consensus, Democrats are using a lazy, partisan budgetary tool that dismisses dissent and willfully ignores Republican proposals on the table.
This bill is the wrong direction for working families and the wrong direction for this country.
As we’ve learned too often, Democrats’ expensive policies that promise Americans so-called “free benefits” come with serious tradeoffs and consequences, including higher taxes, fewer jobs, more debt, and increased government dependency.
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Right now, Democrats want to give Washington more control over how Americans live, work, and make decisions for their families from cradle to grave.
Democrats should hit the brakes. This proposal is not ready for prime time.
