John Joseph Moakley: “I oppose this multi-trillion-dollar tax plan that benefits mostly the wealthy. Without the context of a budget, it is…”

“I oppose this multi-trillion-dollar tax plan that benefits mostly the wealthy. Without the context of a budget, it is impossible for us to foresee what vital programs will be sacrificed. We do know, however, that under the President's budget blueprint, all funding would be cut for both the FIRE Act and Project Impact, two FEMA programs that are vital to community safety. Last year, the FIRE Act was signed into law as part of the defense appropriations bill. Almost every single Member of this House supported this measure, illustrating how urgent it is. Each year, over 100 firefighters die in the line of duty. Many of these deaths could have been avoided with improved technology and increased funding. And Project Impact... helps communities prevent tragedies and prepare themselves if disaster strikes. No community should ever have to experience the pain my community did. Is it too much to ask that Donald Trump be given a slightly smaller tax cut in order to save efforts that save lives and make a difference for our communities? I urge my colleagues to support our firefighters, defeat the rule, and defeat this Republican tax bill.”