Governor Ned Lamont released the following statement regarding the Republican budget bill that was approved Thursday in Congress:
“This bill is going to have devastating impacts on millions of Americans for years to come and was passed for the sole purpose of giving tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. It will amount to a massive income transfer from the poorest and most vulnerable Americans to the wealthiest. Even the Republicans in Congress were reluctant to vote for it because they know the negative impact that it will have on the public, especially the most vulnerable.
“Not only does this plan bankrupt the federal government, but it slashes critical safety net programs, particularly Medicaid and SNAP, that so many hard-working American families need for their health and survival. Even worse, there isn’t a single state in the nation that will have the ability to backfill these massive cuts. Kicking people off their health insurance, defunding hospitals and nursing homes, and eliminating food and nutrition assistance is going to have a ripple effect throughout the country, causing workers to lose their jobs and premiums to go up. And to top it all off, this bill will saddle our children and grandchildren with trillions in additional debt.
“Here in Connecticut, our administration is dedicated to doing what we can do mitigate some of the impact of what this bill will cause, but with a federal administration insistent on eliminating critical safety nets it is going to be nearly impossible for any state to backfill the billions in federal cuts we are going to face. In the coming days, our administration will be analyzing this bill to determine how it will affect services in Connecticut, as well as its impact on our state’s budget, and we will be meeting with our colleagues in the General Assembly to discuss next steps.
“I applaud every member of Connecticut’s delegation for voting against this bill. I urge Connecticut residents and Americans across the nation to continue speaking out against this bill so that Congressional leaders and the Trump administration understand the damaging impact this is going to cause.”
On Tuesday, after the Senate approved the budget bill Senator Blumenthal said it would gut critical social safety net programs, rip away health care from millions of Americans, and explode the debt.
Senator Blumenthal said in a release, “I’m angry—in fact, furious. This Big Blatant Betrayal will cause deep, enduring pain and hardship to millions of Americans. It is both cruel and stupid. Senate Republicans are giving away billions in tax breaks for the rich by kicking millions of Americans off their health insurance and slashing programs that seek to assure that no kid goes to bed with a growling empty stomach. Senate Democrats forced our colleagues to vote on amendments to protect veterans, keep rural hospitals open, and prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing – all voted down by Republicans. This bill is an absolute disgrace and the American people should hold accountable every member who voted for it.”
Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) on Thursday voted against Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation bill.
The legislation passed the House by a vote of 218-214, with every Democrat voting NO.
“Today’s legislation is callous and cruel, fiscally irresponsible, and deeply unpopular with the American public,” said Congressman Himes. “But Republicans voted for it anyway because they’re more concerned with pacifying Donald Trump than doing right by the men, women and children they swore to represent. I’m furious that this bill will become law, but the fight doesn’t stop here. My colleagues across the aisle are going to have to explain to their constituents why they decided to deprive veterans of food assistance, force terminally ill children off health insurance, and chase grandparents out of nursing homes. You can be damn sure that I’ll be there to hold them accountable along the way.”
Himes statement said the Republican tax bill will force nearly 17 million Americans off of Medicaid, including an estimated 186,580 people in Connecticut, put 42 million Americans at risk of having their food assistance benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) taken away, raise household energy bills by over $100 per year, and increase the deficit by an estimated $3.1 trillion over 10 years.
The bill now goes to the desk of President Trump to be signed into law.