SE Connecticut News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 26 Rep. Courtney released the following statement after voting NO on House Republicans’ “Default on America Act.” 

“Today, the House Republican Majority pushed through legislation that holds the full faith and credit of our nation hostage for a dead on arrival wish list of demands that make draconian cuts to critical public programs, shatters confidence in U.S. financial instruments, and threatens our national security.

“Once again, House Republicans have put politics over the well-being of people in eastern Connecticut and across the country. This bill will cut education funding for 210,000 students in Connecticut, undermine medical care for veterans, and knock at least 10 million Americans off their Medicaid plans. Additionally, a Moody’s Analytics report found that the bill would increase the odds of a recession, cost 780,000 jobs, and increase the unemployment rate—unraveling the historic economic progress made under President Biden. This bill is not a plan. It’s a blow to the American people and our economy.

“Speaker McCarthy’s refusal to bring a clean debt limit to a vote will shatter the confidence across the world in our nation’s financial instruments that is based on the belief that we pay our bills. Former President Donald Trump said it best when he was arguing for the three clean debt limit bills he signed into law: ‘the debt should never be used as a negotiating tactic.’ This is a reality that none other than Mr. McCarthy’s idol, President Reagan, recognized during his eight years as president. Over the course of his time in the White House, he signed into law clean debt limit increases 18 times—the most of any president in our nation’s history.

“Moreover, our international adversaries—Russia and particularly China—watched today’s vote with gleeful anticipation. As the deadline to raise the debt limit approaches, China is being handed a golden opportunity to topple the dollar, which, if it occurs, will hurt U.S. consumers and workers who have long benefited from the “dollar advantage.” Just in the past couple of months, China has secured agreements with Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia to conduct transactions for shipment of oil and gas using the Yuan rather than the U.S. dollar. Brazil is likely to follow soon. If default were to happen this trend would be turbocharged across the globe.

“It is clear that the House bill is a non-starter in the Senate, and President Biden rejected this ‘really dangerous’ proposal. Simply put, Speaker McCarthy is playing a dangerous game of chicken with the well-being of Americans, as well as our nation’s financial reputation and national security.”

Background: 

H.R. 2811 will undermine medical care for Veterans.

• The legislation will lead to 30 million fewer veteran outpatient visits, and 81,000 jobs lost across the Veterans Health Administration—leaving veterans unable to get appointments for care including wellness visits, cancer screenings, mental health services, and substance use disorder treatment.
• More than 20 veteran advocacy organizations wrote in opposition to the legislation stating, “If the proposed budget reductions were applied across-the-board, the impacts would significantly affect the delivery of care and benefits to veterans.”
• The Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Warsof the United States also wrote in opposition to the legislation.

·  H.R. 2811 will make college more expense for Connecticut students.

• The legislation will not only likely eliminate Pell Grants altogether for 1,100 students in Connecticut, it would also reduce the maximum award by nearly $1,000 for the remaining 208,000 students who receive Pell Grants—making it harder for them to attend and afford college

·  H.R. 2811 will cut funding for Connecticut’s schools.

• The legislation will cut approximately $33 million in Title I funding for Connecticut schools serving low-income children, impacting an estimated 210,000 students and reducing program funding to its lowest level in almost a decade—a cut equivalent to removing more than 500 teachers and specialized instructional support personnel from classrooms.

·  H.R. 2811 will strip access to healthy meals for children and seniors.

• The legislation will take away nutrition services, such as Meals on Wheels, from more than 1 million seniors. For many of these seniors, these programs provide the only healthy meal they receive on any given day.
• The legislation will strip access to nutrition assistance through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for 1.7 million women, infants, and children, significantly increasing child poverty and hunger.

The legislation will take away nutrition services, such as Meals on Wheels, from more than 1 million seniors. For many of these seniors, these programs provide the only healthy meal they receive on any given day.The legislation will strip access to nutrition assistance through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for 1.7 million women, infants, and children, significantly increasing child poverty and hunger.        

 ###

Economy & Jobs

Original source can be found here.