Post by bot on Apr 12, 2014 13:58:30 GMT -5
House Passes Extreme Republican Budget, Fails to Act to Restore Unemployment Insurance
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
This week, I was disappointed that the Republican-led House of Representatives passed an extreme budget that cuts investments in our nation’s future, including education, infrastructure, and research. Additionally, this harmful budget would repeal the Affordable Care Act for the 53rd time, eliminating health care benefits and important patient protections for millions of Americans. It also ends the Medicare guarantee as we know it. I’m disappointed that Republicans decided not to work with Democrats on a real and balanced budget that invests in our nation while putting us on a fiscally sustainable path.
While the extreme Republican budget hurts our economy, I believe Congress must work to support businesses and create jobs. That’s why I joined with House Democrats this week to announce the addition of two new items to the Make It In America jobs plan: reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, which would support American businesses, and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which will invest in maintaining America’s competitive edge in innovation. Both of these items are essential to supporting America’s status as a global leader, and I hope to work toward a bipartisan agreement on both issues.
On Monday, the Senate passed a bipartisan agreement to renew emergency unemployment insurance. Since December 28, more than 2.8 million Americans have gone without this assistance as they struggle to find work, and each week Congress fails to act an additional 72,000 lose access. I was disappointed that the House Republican leadership chose politics over taking action on this Senate-passed legislation, and I hope that when Congress returns in 2 weeks, Republicans will allow a vote to renew this program immediately.
Additionally, Tuesday marked Equal Pay Day, which signifies how far into the year a woman must work to earn as much as a man earned the previous year. It’s unacceptable that women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, which is why I am urging Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, of which I am a co-sponsor, to help eliminate the wage gap. While Senate Republicans blocked its consideration this week, I hope that both parties can come together to move forward on this legislation so we can ensure equal pay for equal work.
Sincerely yours,
STENY H. HOYER