WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) voted against Trump and Congressional Republicans’ budget bill that will be devastating for millions of Americans. Following Republican-led House passage of the legislation, Rep. Ansari released the following statement:
“Today I voted no on Trump and Republicans' heartless budget bill that will rip away healthcare from over 365,000 people in Arizona,” said Rep. Ansari. “These cuts to programs that serve the most vulnerable among us don’t help the average American–they hurt the poorest to benefit the very richest–Trump and his donors. This bill represents the largest wealth transfer from the poor to the rich. It’s all so unconscionable.”
The Republican budget:
- Kicks 17 million people off their healthcare and makes premiums, deductibles, and copays soar for millions more: The bill cuts more than $1 trillion from federal healthcare programs, including the largest Medicaid cut ever, and a $500 billion cut to Medicare.
- In Arizona, 365,984 people will lose health insurance and 5 rural hospitals will be at risk of shutting their doors. There will be a $700 average increase in premiums for people in AZ-03 covered under the Affordable Care Act.
- Makes the largest cut to nutritional assistance ever: Cuts SNAP by 20 percent, while forcing states to cover more of SNAP’s cost – which could lead to dozens of states eliminating SNAP entirely.
- Red tape requirements will cause 5 million people to lose food assistance and put tens of millions of kids at risk of losing school breakfast and lunch.
- At least 73,000 people across Arizona could lose some or all food assistance.
- Increases energy costs: Devastating cuts to clean energy will cause families to pay an average of $400 more per year nationwide. Seniors and low-income people will also have an even harder time getting assistance to pay their energy bills.
- $490 average yearly increase in energy bills for Arizona families.
- Kills more than a million jobs: Data shows that these devastating cuts to clean energy will cost more than 840,000 jobs in just the next 5 years and an additional 790,000 jobs over the next 10 years.
- 27,000 manufacturing and energy jobs in Arizona would be eliminated.
- Weakens our public schools and makes higher education more expensive: Creates a permanent, unlimited tax credit for private school vouchers that undermine our public schools, while attacking protections for student borrowers.
- 89,612 students in Arizona could have their Pell grants cut or eliminated entirely.
- Adds $4 trillion to the debt: This includes $700 billion in interest payments alone. It will cause our debt to rise to as much as 128% of our GDP by 2034, threatening to bankrupt our country and mortgaging young people’s futures.
WATCH Ansari introduce nine amendments to the text during Tuesday’s Rules Committee hearing.
WATCH Ansari lead over 16 hours of ‘Read-In’ of full reconciliation bill text.
BACKGROUND
During Tuesday’s Rules Committee hearing, Ansari introduced nine amendments to mitigate the drastic impacts this bill would have on our communities:
- Denies access to the new leases for oil and gas companies if they have been found liable for collusion
- Prevents the Energy and Natural Resources title from taking effect until federal fossil fuel subsidies are eliminated
- Prevents the Energy and Natural Resources title from taking effect unless the Secretary of the Interior and the Comptroller General certify that it will not increase energy prices
- Requires that lease sales in the Arctic Refuge must hit initial revenue targets in order to proceed with development
- Redirects funds to a new Youth Climate Fund
- Prohibits funds from being used to override tribal sovereignty on the U.S.-Mexico border
- Strikes the entire text of the bill and inserts the Stock Act 2.0 to close existing loopholes and impose stricter regulations on financial activities of government officials.
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- This bill is substantively identical to H.R. 6842 from the 118th Congress.
- Redirects funds to support efforts to forecast, mitigate, and respond to extreme heat
- Redirects savings from education cuts to Pell Grant shortfall
On Tuesday, for over 16 hours Ansari led a ‘Read-In for Our Future’ at the U.S. Capitol—calling out Donald Trump and Republicans for pushing a reckless reconciliation bill that will devastate young people’s future across our country. During the first vote to pass the original House version of the bill, Ansari spent over 36 hours at the Capitol—working through the night—to fight the Republican budget. For the last several months, Ansari has been hosting Town Halls at least once per month throughout AZ-03 to hear directly from her constituents on how this budget will impact their lives.
Follow @RepYassAnsari on all social media platforms and visit Ansari.House.gov to learn more.
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