New Democrat Coalition Chair Jim Himes Statement on the Budget
New Democrat Coalition Chair Jim Himes (CT-04) released the following statement on the budget that passed the House of Representatives today, setting the stage for advancing a partisan tax bill in the coming weeks:
“The budget passed today sets the table for a multi-trillion dollar explosion in our national debt. True, comprehensive tax reform that helps the middle class and simplifies the tax code to help American businesses compete globally and hire more American workers is desperately needed. However, we should not greatly increase our deficits and debt for irresponsible tax cuts just because legislators are desperate to pass a bill. We have continued to call for a bipartisan, long-term, balanced approach that demonstrates fiscal responsibility, but this misses the mark.
“No one can claim surprise, because we’ve lived for years with this blatant hypocrisy. When it comes to unchecked military spending, tax cuts for the wealthy or subsidies for narrow industry interests, there’s always money to be found or, more accurately, borrowed. But when it’s healthcare, infrastructure investment or education and training programs, the purse strings are drawn tight. We need a combination of smart expenditure on investment and sensible tax policy that promotes growth without giving away the farm. This budget provides neither. It isn’t even close.
“That said, I, and many of my colleagues in the New Democrat Coalition, stand ready to reach across the aisle on actual bipartisan, permanent tax reform that simplifies the code and makes it fairer. We are also willing to work together to make the hard choices necessary to craft a fiscally responsible budget. But, today, I will not endorse this folly.”
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