(Washington, DC) -- U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-HI-01) this morning voted against H.R. 1, the massive “reconciliation” budget bill that has been under consideration in Congress since January.
The measure passed on a vote of 218-214, with all Democrats including Case voting against.
Case made the following statement on his vote:
“Laws are not just about policy; they are ultimately about our values.
“On so many counts, H.R. 1 fails miserably as sound policy reflecting strong values.
“It gifts a massive tax break to those who have benefited the most from our society and least need help.
“It pays for that tax cut by borrowing from our future, plunging our nation into another $5 trillion of debt.
“It guts our bedrock efforts to provide all Americans with affordable quality nutrition, health care, housing and other life basics, and tens of millions of Americans will be far worse off and even die as a result.
“It reverses generations of effort to convert to clean renewable energy despite the sheer folly of doubling down on fossil fuels.
“It hides special interest provisions in its almost-thousand pages that reflect the worst of insider Washington.
“It makes life today and into the next generation harder, not easier, for most of us.
“As a tragic, cruel measure that so deeply benefits so few so well at the expense of so many so severely, it accelerates deepening inequality and division throughout our country and further stretches the fraying fabric of our society.
“None of this can be sound policy, none of this can be our values.
“We must start today, wherever and however we can, in our governments, communities and election booths, to contain and reverse the damage of this measure and to return to a course that reflects sound policy and core values for all Americans.”
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