Ron Wyden Accuses GOP Of Using ‘Smoke In Mirrors’ To Conceal Consequences Of Budget Resolution

Forbes Breaking News

During a Senate Democratic press briefing on Tuesday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) spoke about the Republicans' budget resolution.

Transcript

00:00Thank you very much, Leader.

00:03On reconciliation, Republicans in the House of Representatives are full steam ahead to

00:10give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and big corporations, and they're going to pay for

00:15it by cutting health insurance and benefits.

00:19Just this morning, the consequences are coming into full view.

00:24Last night, the big Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, settled with the federal government to the

00:32tune of $511 million, the charges that they helped rich Americans cheat on their taxes

00:42by hiding their assets offshore.

00:45Now, this didn't happen by osmosis, folks.

00:48Finance Democrats dug in for more than three years into this issue.

00:54We got the information to the IRS.

00:57And that settlement, $511 million that was just reached, marks a vindication of the Finance

01:06Democratic position that we've got a big fight ahead to go after wealthy tax chiefs.

01:13And this type of investigation and prosecution is why Democrats gave the IRS the tools to

01:20go after wealthy individuals who think that the tax code in America is somehow optional.

01:28Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress are sharpening the knives to cut this very funding and give

01:35the wealthy free reign to pay what they want when they want to.

01:41This would be bad enough on its own, but being paired with the largest cut in the Medicaid

01:48program's history is particularly disastrous.

01:52Republicans are using all kinds of smoke and mirrors to hide some inescapable facts.

01:57Their bill is going to mean benefit cuts for seniors, Americans with disabilities and kids.

02:03Their bill is going to mean families, working families are going to lose health insurance.

02:09Their bill is going to mean red tape requirements that force Americans battling cancer to jump

02:15through all kinds of hoops if they're going to be able to keep their health care.

02:20If that's not clear already, it's going to be very clear in the days ahead.

02:25If and when they come to an agreement and release a bill, the American people are going to see

02:31that we're forgiving everybody in America the chance to get ahead, not just as the Republicans

02:38do, the people at the very top.

02:38Thank you, Leader.

02:39Thank you, Leader.

02:40Thank you, Leader.

02:41Thank you, Leader.

02:42Thank you, Leader.

02:43Thank you, Leader.

02:44Thank you, Leader.

02:45Thank you, Leader.

02:46Thank you, Leader.

02:47Thank you, Leader.

02:48Thank you, Leader.

02:49Thank you, Leader.

02:50Thank you, Leader.

02:51Thank you, Leader.

02:52Thank you, Leader.

02:53Thank you, Leader.

02:54Thank you, Leader.

02:55Thank you, Leader.

02:56Thank you, Leader.

02:57Thank you, Leader.

02:58Thank you, Leader.

02:59Thank you, Leader.

03:00Thank you, Leader.

03:01Thank you, Leader.

03:02Thank you, Leader.

03:03Thank you, Leader.

03:04Thank you, Leader.

03:05Thank you, Leader.

03:06Thank you, Leader.

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