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Boyle Statement Opposing House Passage of Republican Budget Paving Way for Tax Handouts to Billionaires

October 26, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-13) released the following statement following the passage of Republicans' FY 2018 Budget Resolution through the House of Representatives by a vote of 216-212 without a single Democratic vote. The measure, H. Con. Res. 71, now allows a rare, powerful procedural tool allowing the Senate to move forward on the GOP tax plan with a simple majority partisan vote – rather than a 60-member threshold requiring Democratic support. The GOP tax plan would give 80 percent of its tax benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent while making middle class families pay higher taxes.

"Today, my Republican colleagues voted to adopt a disgraceful budget that will damage our country's economy, kill middle-class jobs, and hurt working families. It is wrong to raise taxes on millions of middle class Americans in order to pay for a tax cut for billionaires. This budget will leave the most vulnerable among us behind by slashing funding for vital community programs, while steamrolling job growth by killing crucial federal investments and funding for research and education. This is a missed opportunity to lift up the struggling middle class and a reprehensible betrayal of American values. Even worse, Republicans charged ahead on this budget vote solely to jam though their partisan, draconian tax plan to put trillions in the pockets of the mega-wealthy – paid for by raising taxes on 50 million middle-class Americans, including 967,000 households in Pennsylvania. This is not a tax plan; it is stacking the deck further against middle class families who most need relief in an economy that is already rigged against them. I'll continue fighting against this shameful, economic plan, and working to put forward real policy solutions that will actually grow our economy and bring hardworking families the support they need."

Congressman Boyle is Co-Chair of the Blue Collar Caucus, formed in the wake of the 2016 election to hold President Trump accountable for his promises to working people by fostering member discussion and legislative ideas focused on addressing wage stagnation, job insecurity, trade, offshoring, and dwindling career opportunities for those in the manufacturing and building trades. The caucus focuses on bringing together a diverse array of Democratic members of the House of Representatives to reconnect the party to blue collar workers, and generate solutions that will protect American workers from globalized competition, maintain the viability of domestic manufacturing, and help to cultivate innovative industries that can provide stable employment amid rapid technological advancement.


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