Post by bot on Apr 24, 2016 19:41:47 GMT -5
House Republicans Still Divided, Ignoring Public Health Crises
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
This week, the House took up several partisan bills that would target the IRS and make it harder for civil servants to do their jobs. It’s deeply disappointing that House Republicans wasted time on these bills that will never be signed into law while ignoring critical issues that deserve our attention. In addition to failing to pass a budget, House Republicans’ division and dysfunction is preventing the House from addressing the debt crisis in Puerto Rico as well as three public health crises.
Congress must act quickly to provide relief in Puerto Rico. Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats continue, but there is no time to delay. The financial crisis in Puerto Rico has real-world implications—ten percent of Puerto Ricans have left the island in the last decade; health, safety services, and education have been curtailed because the government cannot pay its bills; and foreclosures remain among the highest in the country. The debt crisis in Puerto Rico must be addressed, and I am hopeful Republicans will bring to the Floor a bill that House Democrats can support.
Finally, Congress has a responsibility to respond to three public health emergencies: Zika, Flint, and opioid addiction. I was deeply disappointed that House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee voted down Democrats’ amendment to provide funding to combat Zika last week. While the Obama Administration was forced to redirect funds allocated to preventing and responding to the Ebola crisis to Zika, that was only a temporary solution. Congress must provide adequate funding to address the threats from both Ebola and Zika. America is facing numerous public health crises, and it’s time for House Republicans to take them seriously.