Kathy Castor: “I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding the time. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6192, a Republican bill…”

“I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding the time. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6192, a Republican bill that will burden American families with higher costs. This is not a serious bill, Mr. Chair, but it is emblematic of the least productive Congress in modern times. Rather than focus on improving the lives of our neighbors back home and lowering costs, MAGA extremists have been embroiled in shutdowns and showdowns, a tiresome soap opera, so they bring an unserious bill like this to distract from their dysfunction. I have heard Members on the other side of the aisle make excuses for not getting anything done. They say that this is a closely divided Congress, but, Mr. Chair, that was true in the last Congress when the Democrats were in control, and we passed a host of important new laws that solved problems and cut costs for the folks we represent back home. We focused on bringing down the cost of living and putting more money back into the pockets of working families by passing the PACT Act that expands VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, to provide generations of veterans and their survivors with the care and the benefits that they have earned. About 4,000 veterans in my district alone have filed claims. We passed the American Rescue Plan to help America boost back and build the strongest economy in the world after the pandemic.…”