During Tuesday’s House Energy Committee hearing, Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) discussed the potential budget cuts of the proposed Republican budget.
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00:00Another gentleman from California is recognized for three minutes for an opening statement.
00:12Thanks. Thank you. Jesus is one of my constituents from San Diego. His mother was tragically hit by a car, leaving her disabled.
00:21He manages her medications, he feeds her, he bathes her, he takes her to doctor's appointments, and he helps her with physical therapy.
00:28But if these Medicaid effects take cut, this work, this very hard work, will not meet the so-called work requirements Republicans want to impose.
00:38Jesus and his family would likely have to move out of their home, live separated, and they will likely lose their health care.
00:45Mr. Chairman, this committee has no jurisdiction over taxes, but let's be honest with the American people, taxes are the real reason we're here.
00:52Over in the Ways and Means Committee, they are marking up what will be one of the most expensive tax bills in American history.
00:58When Republicans originally passed the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, they designed many of the individual and some business tax provisions to expire this year.
01:08Because back then, Republicans knew making the tax cuts permanent would cost the United States trillions of dollars in revenue we desperately need to pay our expenses.
01:17Making those tax cuts permanent now is no less costly.
01:20Yes, that's what we're being asked to do today.
01:24The Budget Committee instructed the Ways and Means Committee to cut taxes by $4.5 trillion, and it asked our committee to come up with $880 billion in cuts to make up the shortfall.
01:35That's it.
01:36That's what this is about.
01:37Now, to do that, the bill before us will decimate Medicaid, which provides health insurance annually to nearly 72 million people nationwide in every congressional district across the country.
01:49Cutting health coverage for our most vulnerable neighbors will not make America healthier.
01:53It will make us sicker.
01:55You know, at home, I hear from people concerned about the national debt and deficits, and they say to me,
01:59Hey, Scott, we have to make cuts to address the deficit, but that is not what's happening here.
02:05Because Republicans will continue to run $2 trillion annual deficits, and we'll see the national debt grow from $36 to $38 to $40 to $42 trillion,
02:16and they will vote for a $5 trillion increase in the debt limit to make this borrowing possible,
02:21even though many of them swore a blood oath that they'd never vote to increase the debt.
02:25They will enact a budget that will increase the, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget,
02:32will increase the federal debt by $37 trillion over the next 30 years.
02:37So don't buy the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
02:40Republicans are proposing these painful cuts to programs that help everyday Americans not to lower our debt,
02:46but just so President Trump can follow through on his campaign promise to donors.
02:50Remember what he said to his donors?
02:52He, quote, I said, you're rich as hell, and I'm going to cut your taxes.
02:56When the government borrows more, inflation goes up, working people suffer at the grocery store,
03:00they pay more for utilities, now we're adding, taking away their health care.
03:04This is the wrong thing to do, and I urge my colleagues, vote no.
03:08I yield back.
03:09The gentleman yields back, and the chair now recognizes the gentlelady from Michigan for three minutes for an opening statement.
03:15Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
03:16I actually have to say that...