H.R. 3590

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3590, which repeals one of the funding mechanisms for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that this bill would add $33 billion to the nation's deficit.

House Republicans have once again created a double standard, asking Congress to add $33 billion to the national deficit with unpaid tax cuts while insisting on offsets for public health emergencies like the Zika virus, opioid epidemic, and crisis in Flint, Michigan. H.R. 3590 has made House Republicans' priorities very clear--to dismantle the ACA. This is the latest effort to undermine the ACA, which provides affordable health care to millions of Americans.

I have put forward a proposal to provide tax relief to working Americans with a Paycheck Bonus Tax Credit and updates to the tax code to benefit those who earn their paychecks through hard work instead of those who make money off of money. If Republicans are serious about tax reform to help American workers they would support my proposal to limit tax breaks that encourage corporations to move American jobs overseas.

Rather than work on behalf of our constituents who are counting on Congress to pass common sense laws on logical tax reform and to address public health emergencies, House Republicans have chosen to fight old battles by once again introducing legislation which would undermine the ACA.

I oppose this bill and urge my colleagues to vote no.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source