“Reject Republican Tax Scam, Say No to the Alzheimer’s Tax”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, spoke three times on the House Floor against the House Republican tax bill (H.R. 1). Excerpts of Rep. Doggett's remarks are as follows, with links to his full speeches:

Rep. Doggett: "One Minute Longer Than All Hearings on Republican Tax Scam":

"One minute—only one minute? Well one minute is longer than all of the hearings held by Republicans on this sham of a tax bill – so broad in impact, yet so shallow in analysis. One minute – that is more time than any Trump Administration official had the courage to face our committee to be questioned about this lousy proposal.

"One minute— more time than all the businesses and economists to evaluate these far-reaching corporate giveaways. Why should a tax bill that's so broad get less hearing time that it takes to microwave popcorn? Haste does make waste. This tax plan, borne in the shadows, and rammed through committee and the House, will lay waste to family budgets, lay waste to affordable health care, and undermine national debt. The tax scam must be rejected. If we speak out and remain firm in our resolve, we will defeat this sham of a bill."

Rep. Doggett on the Republican Tax Bill's "Alzheimer's Tax":

"This wretched Republican tax bill threatens the health of millions. It is amazing that on this Alzheimer's Awareness Month, they celebrate by imposing a new ‘Alzheimer's tax.' Families paying thousands of dollars to care for a loved one would lose the right they have today to deduct those huge expenses, and it's not just a tax on Alzheimer's but on any substantial health care expense. As if that weren't bad enough, in the Senate bill, they pursue their fanatical zeal to destroy Obamacare, and yet again would remove one of the key pillars that would lead to denying coverage for those with pre-existing conditions because their premiums will soar. It will mean millions of Americans will lose health care coverage. Protect your health. Reject this sorry Republican tax bill."

Rep. Doggett on Rejecting the Republican Tax Scheme & Protecting Health Care Access:

"It was not only the courageous votes of John McCain, Susan Collins, and other Members in the Senate who stopped this wretched health care bill that passed through the House, but also that Americans kept saying: No, don't take the right that my family has to get access to a family physician. Don't take away my neighbors' or church members' right to get access to protect their family with health care. Today, we learn that the Senate tax bill is being changed to do just that. It is another assault on the Affordable Care Act. The Senate has declared that they will end forever the individual responsibility portions of the Affordable Care Act. Those are the provisions that ensure all Americans will participate, so that we have the largest risk pool and people don't sign up for coverage after they are sick and after they have a problem."

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