Scott Slams Republican Budget Plan
“While some people make speeches about deficit and national debt, Democrats have been finding solutions and cleaning up the Republican mess for the last six decades.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) delivered opening remarks at the House Budget Committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2025 Republican budget—a proposal that undermines the middle class by cutting essential programs that help millions of families. This plan prioritizes tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy at the expense of America’s working families:
“The budget resolution exemplifies my colleagues' willingness to betray the American people in the name of so-called fiscal responsibility. But Democrats routinely prioritize reducing deficits without sacrificing safety net programs that working families rely on. And while some people make speeches about deficit and national debt, Democrats have been finding solutions and cleaning up the Republican mess for the last six decades.
“As this chart shows, you look closely, you’ll notice that every Democratic president since Kennedy has left Republican successors a better deficit situation than they inherited. And every Republican administration since Nixon has left for their Democratic successors a worse deficit situation than they inherited. During his first term, Donald Trump was well on his way to continue that trend even before the pandemic.
“In fact, if you look at the cumulative improvement, the improvement in the deficit over the Democratic years is about 16% of GDP, and Republicans added to the deficit a cumulative 22%. And today’s $2 trillion deficit created by the Republicans, if you look over those years, they contributed six and a half trillion dollars in the deficit, and Democrats contributed $4.7 trillion in reducing the deficit. And that’s how we get the $2 trillion deficit.
“So, Mr. Chairman, when you say ‘both sides did it,’ you ought to give credit where credit is due. Give the Republicans credit for a $6.5 trillion mess, and Democrats $4.5 trillion in cleanup.
“And while Democratic budgets are fiscally responsible, Americans have been enjoying great job growth. You’ll notice that Joe Biden created more jobs than any president in the history of the United States in four years, in fact, more than any Republican president, whether they served four or eight years, all the time with responsible budgets.
“Now, this Republican budget makes cruel cuts in countless programs that working families depend on. As a ranking member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, I am particularly offended by the cuts being demanded for educational programs for students and nutrition programs for children.
“This budget will mean that kids and seniors will go hungry, and employers will not be able to find the skilled workers they need. And it will make it more expensive for students to go to college. In addition to these cuts, the budget will also cut health care coverage for millions of Americans, all to extend tax cuts for the top 1% and corporations.
“It does all this while making wildly absurd economic assumptions that continue the farce that cutting taxes for corporations and the richest Americans will not increase our deficit.
“And the budget does nothing to improve the lives of middle-class families.
“It does nothing to bring down the cost of eggs, which that cost has gone up since the President was inaugurated, and nothing to reduce the cost of gas or rent or childcare.
“And the budget will not help future generations realize the American dream.
“Mr. Chairman, I hope we defeat this budget and replace it with something responsible. Thank you. I yield back.”
To view video of Congressman Scott’s opening remarks, CLICK HERE.
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