Post by bot on May 3, 2014 0:28:56 GMT -5
Democrats Urge House Republicans to Address Immigration, Unemployment Insurance, Minimum Wage
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
This week, the House began the appropriations process for fiscal year 2015 by considering the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and the Legislative Branch appropriations bills. I’m pleased that the House began the appropriations process early in the year and that both bills passed on a bipartisan basis. As the appropriations process moves forward over the coming months, I hope House Republicans continue to work with Democrats in a bipartisan manner to enact all 12 appropriations bills before the start of the fiscal year.
Last week, Majority Leader Eric Cantor released House Republican's Spring agenda, and it failed to include a number of critical items. Their agenda fails to include comprehensive immigration reform, which could pass the House with strong bipartisan support, grow our economy, and reduce the deficit. The GOP agenda also fails to renew unemployment insurance for nearly three million job-seekers who have lost this assistance, despite the fact that the Senate passed bipartisan legislation several weeks ago. Additionally, their agenda ignores the minimum wage, which would give a raise to 28 million hardworking Americans and is supported by the majority of Americans. I was also disappointed that Senate Republicans blocked consideration of legislation to raise the minimum wage this week. Lastly, the House Republican agenda does nothing to address job creation in our country, notwithstanding bipartisan support on a number of Make It In America jobs bills. I continue to urge House Republicans to allow the House to work its will on these issues and bring legislation to the Floor for a vote.
Next week, the House will take up legislation to extend the research and development tax credit for businesses. While permanently extending this tax credit is part of House Democrats' Make It In America agenda, the Republican bill coming to the Floor next week is unpaid for and would add $155 billion to the deficit. While it’s important that we help businesses invest in innovation, this tax extension ought to be paid for rather than making our deficit worse. In the coming week, I will continue to urge House Republicans to work with Democrats to find a bipartisan way to pay for this bill so that we can pass it on a bipartisan basis and ensure more businesses can make it in America.
Sincerely yours,
STENY H. HOYER