Scott Slams House GOP “Socialism” Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting against H. Con. Res. 9, which purportedly “denounc[es] the horrors of socialism”:

“Since House Republicans took control of the chamber earlier this year, they have not held a vote on a single piece of legislation to fight inflation or lower costs for families. Today’s vote was nothing more than another Republican attack on Social Security and Medicare.

“It goes without saying that I am strongly opposed to any and all forms of dictatorships. However, we’ve seen this trope about socialism many times before. In 1952, President Truman reminded people that ‘Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called social security…socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.’ Since the inception of Social Security, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have demagogued these life-saving programs and sought to slash them at any opportunity possible all in the name of combatting socialism. Don’t take my word for it – look at the last few federal budgets proposed by the Republican Study Committee and the 2022 campaign platform authored by Senator Rick Scott, the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. These plans jeopardized the future of Social Security and Medicare. The Republicans’ intentions over the future of these programs is quite clear. I continue to support Social Security, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.

“Curiously, this resolution includes a quote from President James Madison saying: ‘Whereas the “Father of the Constitution”, President James Madison, wrote that it “is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has in his personal safety and personal liberty, is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest.”’ Republicans should be required to explain exactly what is meant by that quote in light of the fact that President Madison was a slaveholder.

“I also would point out that while my Republican colleagues claim to decry the ‘horrors’ of socialism, plenty of them had no issue taking government assistance when they participated in the Paycheck Protection Program during the height of the pandemic. Finally, they should also acknowledge that a number of our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies identify as democratic socialist nations, so passing a resolution that essentially condemns our allies does not seem prudent. Rather than denouncing the horrors of Social Security and Medicare, we should be addressing the needs of the American people by creating jobs, expanding access to health care, improving education, strengthening the military, reforming our criminal justice system and rebuilding our infrastructure.”

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