Van Hollen Statement on Passage of Senate Republicans’ “Big, Ugly Betrayal” Against American Families

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on his opposition to the “Big, Ugly Betrayal” tax plan passed by Senate Republicans this morning that gives massive tax cuts to the ultra-rich while slashing health care and vital public services for the American people:

“Today, Donald Trump and Republicans made crystal clear where their priorities lie – not with working Americans, but with billionaires and big corporations. While Republicans give the super-rich and mega-corporations huge tax cuts, they are stripping millions of Americans of their Medicaid coverage, driving up health care costs by letting Affordable Care Act tax cuts expire, gutting nutrition assistance for families, eliminating clean energy jobs, and so much more. Virtually all working families will face higher costs if this bill becomes law, whether through the effects of the drastic cuts to health care, higher energy costs, or the impacts of exploding our national debt by nearly $4 trillion in just the next 10 years. My Democratic colleagues and I fought to protect the American people from the worst harms of this legislation through dozens of amendments to protect Medicaid, preserve food assistance, keep energy costs down, and more. But Republicans rejected every one of these efforts, resulting in a bill that showers the rich with a major tax giveaway and leaves everyone else to pay the price.

“We don’t make America stronger by cutting health care and food assistance to give a windfall to the wealthy; we strengthen America by investing in the working people and families who drive this nation’s economy. This legislation is a big, ugly betrayal of those Americans. While Donald Trump and Republicans made clear tonight that they stand on the side of billionaires and big corporations, we will continue to work on behalf of all Americans – fighting for an economy where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”