John Yarmuth: “Today, some of my colleagues from across the aisle unveiled their proposal to address poverty in America. It is ironic…”

“Today, some of my colleagues from across the aisle unveiled their proposal to address poverty in America. It is ironic because, tomorrow, they will vote to push 6 million children deeper into poverty by excluding their low-income families from the child tax credit. I just wish they would explain what they will do differently from their current budget, which is a hard-hearted and direct attack on the poor. Two-thirds of the cuts in the Republican budget come from our social safety net, including Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and education. Their budget ends the Medicare guarantee and raises prescription drug costs for seniors. It raids Pell grants, raises the already overwhelming cost of college, and slashes investments in jobs to rebuild our national infrastructure, and it does this to cut taxes by one-third for the well-off and well-connected, while continuing to reward companies that ship our jobs overseas. Madam Speaker, cutting services for low-income Americans, blocking a livable wage, and increasing health care costs isn't a path to prosperity. It is a promise of poverty. If we expect to have any hope of reducing poverty in generations to come, we need a strong safety net today, and we need to invest in quality education and good jobs to create opportunities for the future. Democrats promise to do that. ____________________”