Schakowsky statement on passage of the Republican Budget Resolution

Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Chief Deputy Whip and a member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement on the passage of the GOP's FY2018 Budget Resolution:

"The Republican Budget passed today paves the way for trillions of dollars in tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations – paid for by middle-class families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Under the Republican tax plan, 1.9 million Illinoisans would no longer be able to claim the state and local tax deduction. Nationwide, 47 million Americans in middle-class households making between $50,000 and $150,000 would see an increase in their taxes.

"By voting ‘yes' on this budget, my Republican colleagues propose taking food out of the mouths of hungry children and ripping health care away from seniors and working families. Their resolution would slash Medicaid by $1 trillion – threatening health and long term-care for 1 in 4 Americans. It would slash Medicare by $470 billion. And it threatens yet again to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They're using the same cruel formula as they did with Trumpcare: give billionaires a tax cut and take away health care from millions of Americans.

"We are the richest country in the world at the richest point in history. Every American deserves the guarantee of great health care, debt-free college, affordable housing, a secure retirement, and world-class infrastructure. We can achieve all that – we just have to be willing to demand that the ultra-rich and huge corporations pay their fair share."

A video of Congresswoman Schakowsky's remarks opposing the budget on the House floor is below. Congresswoman Schakowsky offered an amendment in the House Rules Committee to reverse the $1.8 trillion in cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and other health programs included in the budget resolution and to remove language to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Her amendment was blocked by Republican leadership.

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