On the recordDecember 4, 2017
We are not ready for conference. The Senate bill was written by lobbyists in the dead of night when Republicans hoped no one was paying attention. There was no CBO score, no debate, no time to even read the bill, and now the majority thinks this bill is ready to go to conference? Really? Not. The House and Senate bills will put us at least $1.4 trillion into debt, will cause cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and will raise taxes on 82 million Americans. Mr. Speaker, this is a bad deal for Americans, and it is an even worse deal for my constituents in Alabama. In my State of Alabama, over 500,000 families making $80,000 a year or less will see a tax increase. It will result in $205 million being taken away from teachers and students, and it will put $168 million in charitable donations at risk. These bills are not for the middle class. These bills will do enormous damage to the middle class. Mr. Speaker, we are not ready for conference.
