Schakowsky statement on the "cruel," "disgusting" GOP tax plan

Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Chief Deputy Whip, released the following statement on the Republican tax plan unveiled today:

“I use a simple test to decide whether I can support a piece of legislation: will this proposal reduce income inequality or exacerbate it? The tax plan unveiled by Republicans today fails this test spectacularly. It would make the rich much richer and the poor even poorer.

“The GOP tax plan uses the tired and cruel formula we’ve come to expect from Republicans: cut taxes for the ultra-wealthy and pay for it by robbing Americans of key programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. There is nothing in this plan – not one line – that would benefit America’s middle class or those who aspire to be middle class. It is a bill designed to improve the lives of Donald Trump’s cronies and no one else.

“Our tax code is in serious need of reform. We need to demand that the wealthiest individuals and corporations in our country pay their fair share so we can truly invest in American families. That’s how our economy will grow, and that’s how we will improve the lives of Americans. The bill that Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and Donald Trump so proudly presented today is a disgusting, but not surprising, slap in the face to every day Americans. It is even more disgusting that Republicans wasted the day peddling this plan when the authorization for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Community Health Centers, and Teaching Health Centers expire this Saturday, September 30.

“Republicans seem to have no time on their hands to ensure that America’s children get health insurance, but have all the time in the world to ensure that America’s billionaires get tax cuts.”