00:00I thank the distinguished gentleman from the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
00:12Richie Neal, for yielding and for his tremendous leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong
00:18opposition to Donald Trump's one big ugly bill, this disgusting abomination, the GOP tax scam,
00:28that guts Medicaid, rips food from the mouths of children, seniors and veterans, and rewards
00:38billionaires with massive tax breaks. Every single Democrat stands in strong opposition to this bill
00:47because we're standing up for the American people. Mr. Speaker, I've heard a lot
00:58from my Republican colleagues who've expressed pride in this accomplishment. I ask the question,
01:08if Republicans were so proud of this one big ugly bill, why did debate begin at 3.28 a.m. in the morning?
01:20Republicans are once again, which has been the case, Mr. Speaker, through every step of this journey.
01:28tried to jam this bill through the House of Representatives under cover of darkness.
01:38But I'm here today to make it clear that I'm going to take my time and ensure that the American people
01:46fully understand how damaging this bill will be to their quality of life.
01:54Now, Republicans and Donald Trump promised that costs would go down on day one.
02:04costs having gone down under Donald Trump and House Republicans here in the United States of America.
02:11In fact, costs have gone up.
02:13We believe that America is too expensive, that the cost of living is too high, that that's a
02:24priority that should be worked on in a bipartisan way. But from the very beginning of this Congress,
02:30our Republican colleagues have shown no interest in addressing the high cost of living in the United
02:37States of America. Not a single executive order has been issued by this administration,
02:42Mr. Speaker, to address the high cost of living. Not a single bill has been passed,
02:49Mr. Speaker, to address the high cost of living in the United States of America. And this bill,
02:55this one big ugly bill, this reckless Republican budget, this disgusting abomination, is not
03:06about improving the quality of life of the American people. It will hurt everyday Americans in several
03:16different ways. This bill represents the largest cut to health care,
03:26in American history. It's an all-out assault on the health care of the American people,
03:35an assault on Medicaid, an assault on Medicare, an assault on the Children's Health Insurance Program,
03:43an assault on the Affordable Care Act, an assault on Planned Parenthood and the health care of women
03:54all across the United States of America. An assault on the American people and their health care.
04:06It's an assault on the United States of America. Almost $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid.
04:13This runs directly contrary to what President Trump indicated in January, which was that he was going
04:20to love and cherish Medicaid. Nothing about this bill loves and cherishes Medicaid. It guts Medicaid.
04:31It guts Medicaid in a way it's going to hurt children,
04:34hurt families, hurt seniors, hurt people with disabilities, hurt women, hurt everyday Americans.
04:47It's going to hurt children with disabilities. She's going to hurt families.
05:10And community-based health clinics, which are the lifelines in neighborhood after neighborhood all across this country, in urban America, in rural America, in suburban America, in small-town America, in the heartland of America, will not be able to operate.
05:34And as a result of the lack of health care that will result directly from this one big, ugly bill, people in America will die. Unnecessary deaths. That is outrageous. It's disgusting. That is not what we should be doing here in the United States House of Representatives.
06:00Not what we should be doing.
06:06In addition to the cuts to Medicaid, this bill will result in the largest cut to Medicare in American history.
06:20By some estimates, more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicare as a result of the Republicans' one big, ugly bill.
06:37This bill will also result in a devastating blow to the Affordable Care Act.
06:48That's no surprise because since 2010, Republicans, Mr. Speaker, have been trying to gut and destroy the Affordable Care Act.
07:00And as a result of the damage that is done to the Affordable Care Act in this legislation, millions of Americans will lose their health care.
07:12The assault on health care in this one big, ugly bill will result in more than 17 million Americans losing health care in the United States of America.
07:24Shame on the people who've decided to launch that kind of all-out assault on the health and the well-being of everyday Americans.
07:35That's not what we should be doing here in the United States House of Representatives.
07:41And because of the drastic cuts that are made to health care in this one big, ugly bill, people with private insurance all across America are going to experience increases in their premiums, their co-pays, and their deductibles.
08:05Millions of Americans in every corner of this country, an all-out assault on health care.
08:15That's a very different vision, Mr. Speaker, that Republicans have working hard to take health care away from the American people than our vision.
08:25Because we believe, as Democrats, that in the United States of America, health care should not simply be a privilege.
08:35Health care is a right that should be available to every single person in the United States of America.
08:42This bill is an all-out assault on the health care of the people of the United States of America, hard-working American taxpayers.
08:58These are the people we should be standing up to work hard to lift up.
09:04But instead, they're victims of this legislation.
09:13Hospitals will close.
09:14That impacts everybody in the United States of America.
09:19If your hospital closes, whether you're on Medicaid or not, you will be unable to get the treatment that you or your family needs.
09:32That's why we're fighting.
09:34So hard to stop this bill.
09:38One in four nursing homes, by some estimates, will close as a result of the Republicans' assault on Medicaid in this one big, ugly bill.
09:50This bill also represents an assault on nutritional assistance here in the United States of America.
09:59We've made great progress over the last 50-plus years as it relates to hunger in this country.
10:11Great progress.
10:12But we're still dealing with the reality that tens of millions of people in this country go to bed every night wondering whether they're going to be able to get a nutritious meal the next day.
10:30And instead of trying to address that issue, Mr. Speaker, the one big, ugly bill will rip nutritional benefits away from millions of Americans, including children.
10:52Rip food from the mouths of hungry children, rip food from the mouths of hungry children, and hungry veterans, and hungry seniors.
11:00That is unacceptable.
11:02That's one of the reasons why we stand in strong opposition.
11:06Republicans promised to address the high cost of living in the United States of America.
11:21We believe that the cost of living is too high, housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, insurance costs are too high, childcare costs are too high, America is too expensive.
11:42There are far too many people in this country struggling to live paycheck to paycheck.
11:49That should not be the case.
11:51In the United States of America, but instead of addressing the high cost of living in this one big, ugly bill, Mr. Speaker, Republicans are actually going to increase costs, particularly as it relates to the energy bills that everyday Americans pay estimated that energy bills will increase by hundreds of dollars a year.
12:19That has nothing to do with lowering the high cost of living, making this country a more affordable place.
12:26It does the exact opposite.
12:28It's an all out and unnecessary assault on the clean energy tax credits.
12:38The clean energy tax credits.
12:39The clean energy tax credits that many of my Republican colleagues promised in letter after letter after letter that you would stand behind, but all chose to fold and abandon.
12:52The clean energy tax credits and abandon, fighting instead for special interests and opposing the ability for this country to stand up a cleaner energy economy, which means cheaper energy.
13:11Because of the attack.
13:12Because of the attack.
13:14On clean energy jobs.
13:15On the clean energy economy.
13:18On the economic development that had already been set in motion.
13:22Often in districts represented by Republican colleagues and in Republican led states.
13:31Red states.
13:32Red states.
13:33Red states.
13:34By some estimates, millions of jobs are going to be lost.
13:39And so you're ripping health care away from millions of Americans, Mr. Speaker.
13:50Ripping food away from children and veterans and seniors.
13:58Raising the cost of utilities, of paying your energy bill by hundreds of dollars.
14:09Stripping away millions of jobs all across America.
14:13And what is all of this being done for?
14:16To provide massive tax breaks to billionaires all across this country.
14:25We are better than that in the United States of America.
14:32When we take an oath, convene here, come to the United States Capitol, our job is to make life better for everyday Americans.
14:50But the genesis of this bill.
14:55The focus of this bill.
14:57The justification for all of the cuts.
15:01That will hurt everyday Americans.
15:04In this bill.
15:07Is to provide massive tax breaks.
15:11For billionaires.
15:13For billionaires.
15:14It's extraordinary.
15:17Never.
15:18In my time here.
15:21In Congress.
15:23Have I experienced legislation.
15:27That benefits so few people.
15:32Who fall into the category of the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected.
15:38While at the same time hurting everyday Americans.
15:44That we should be fighting hard to help.
15:52Now all of this apparently is being rushed.
15:59Because the decision was made by President Trump that he would like to get a bill done by the 4th of July.
16:14What does the 4th of July have to do with this one big ugly bill?
16:24What does celebrating American independence.
16:29The birth of this exceptional country.
16:33The journey that we've been on for 249 years.
16:38What does any of that have to do with this one big ugly bill?
16:45I would suggest Mr. Speaker.
16:48That if you actually look at the Declaration of Independence.
16:55What we find is that everything about this one big ugly bill.
17:04Runs in direct contrast.
17:07With what was set in motion.
17:10By the framers.
17:13And the founders of our great country.
17:16Of course the Declaration of Independence.
17:21Authored.
17:23By Thomas Jefferson.
17:25Makes.
17:27The famous statement.
17:31That we hold these truths to be self-evident.
17:37That all men are created equal.
17:41That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.
17:48That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
17:56Mr. Speaker, I want to lock in for just a moment on that aspirational objective.
18:05The pursuit of happiness.
18:09Because when it comes to everyday Americans.
18:15This one big ugly bill.
18:20Will hurt the quality of life of hard working American taxpayers.
18:25And it's all designed to put a happy smile on the face of billionaires.
18:31That is inconsistent with the Declaration of Independence.
18:34And what we should be celebrating on July 4th.
18:45I think what Thomas Jefferson and the framers of this country.
18:51They set us out on a course of action.
18:55A journey.
18:56A march toward a more perfect union.
19:00In part, anchored in the pursuit of happiness.
19:04Which decade after decade, century after century.
19:08Leaders who sat at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
19:13Leaders in this Congress on both sides of the aisle.
19:17Isle tried to bring about for the greatest number of Americans.
19:24But that's not what this one big ugly bill is all about.
19:30America is too expensive.
19:33There are far too many people who are living paycheck to paycheck.
19:40Here in this great country.
19:42That should not be the case.
19:44People who are struggling to survive.
19:49To make ends meet.
19:53Mr. Speaker, imagine a country where everyone can afford to live the good life.
20:04Work hard.
20:05Play by the rules.
20:07And live the good life.
20:08Good pain.
20:10Good health.
20:11Good health care.
20:13Good education.
20:14Good education.
20:15For your children.
20:16And a good retirement.
20:19can work hard, play by the rules, and live the good life.
20:25Good paying job, good housing, good health care,
20:30good education for your children, and a good retirement.
20:36Which means keep your hands off Social Security and Medicare, now and forever.
20:44Now and forever.
20:51We want a country where every single American can afford to live the good life.
21:01Good paying job, good housing, good health care, good education for your children,
21:12and then a good retirement.
21:16And we know that in the United States of America to unlock that quintessential American dream,
21:26living the good life, you have to work hard and play by the rules.
21:35But the challenge that so many Americans have right now in this country is that they're doing those two things.
21:45They're working hard.
21:47And they're playing by the rules.
21:50But they're unable to experience the great American dream.
21:54They're unable to get to that third leg.
22:01They're unable to live the good life.
22:04And that's what we should be focusing on here in the United States Congress.
22:11Not gutting Medicaid.
22:13Not ripping food out of the mouths of hungry children.
22:17Not rewarding billionaires with massive tax breaks.
22:23How can you prepare to celebrate legislation that will undermine the quality of life of everyday Americans?
22:39Your children are not angry.
22:42Not who?
22:43Do not believe their real carbonate.
22:44Do not believe their babies.
22:45Or, in your hands, not hoo-f.
22:46The name of God is a Democrat.
22:47You have no one of them, where there is no other prescriAg.
22:49So, let us see what we can cover in the United States.
22:50With a mm-f.
22:51The 4th half, the half, the half, the half, the half.
22:52You have no more than the last.
22:53To all of them.
22:54With a 3th half, the half, the half.
22:56You have no more than the half.
22:57The half, the half, the half, the half is the half.
22:59You have no more than the last.
23:00The half, the half.
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