{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-opening-statement-tax-legislation-conference-committee-meeting", "Neal Opening Statement at Tax Legislation Conference...", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Richard Neal", "N000015", "neal.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(As prepared for delivery)\n\u00a0\nMr. Chairman, in light of last night\u2019s election, I do not believe we should be holding today\u2019s meeting.\u00a0In fact, I believe it is imperative that we respect the will of the people of Alabama and delay any further action on this tax bill until Senator-elect Jones can be seated.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThis situation is not unprecedented. As recently as 2010, during debate on the ACA, my state of Massachusetts elected Scott Brown in a special election to succeed Sen Ted Kennedy. Following that election, we heard strong words from then Minority Leader McConnell.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nHe stated emphatically, \"I think the message of the moment is that the American people, all across the country, are asking us, even in the most liberal state, Massachusetts, to stop this healthcare bill.\" \u00a0\n\u00a0\nWhat did Democrats do? We waited and respected the will of the people of Massachusetts. Quite simply, even when it was hard and against our own politics, Democrats did the right thing and allowed Senator Brown to cast a vote on final passage of the ACA.\u00a0I would hope that the Republicans would do the same today.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nTurning the tax bill, the Ryan-McConnell tax package is a bad deal. This legislation raises taxes on millions of middle-class families, increases the national debt by more than $2.3 trillion dollars, and eliminates deductions that help Americans afford to go to college, buy a home, and pay for medical expenses.\n\u00a0\nFrom kids with disabilities, to students pursuing a higher education, to seniors with Alzheimer\u2019s, this bill punishes Americans at every stage of life. And as the New York Times reported this weekend, given the Republicans shift in how they\u2019ll tax income, the Tax Code will for the first time substantially punish the wage earner while providing massive benefit to corporations, shareholders, and partners.\n\u00a0\nWe can do better. Democrats\u2019 focus in tax reform is providing ALL middle-class Americans with a tax cut \u2013 unlike the Republicans\u2019 bill, which does the opposite and actually increases taxes on the middle class.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe Republicans also claim that their bill helps small businesses but I\u2019m hearing from business owners back home in Springfield who are excluded from any tax relief.\n\u00a0\nWe also must take into account the unique circumstances for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. They just suffered terrible devastation and are still in the process of rebuilding and putting the pieces of their lives back together after Hurricane Maria. The last thing they need is to get hit again.\n\u00a0\nFinally, the Republicans have shown their cards \u2013 they\u2019re going after Social Security, Medicare and Welfare next. They argue we can no longer afford those programs. I\u2019d argue that we can\u2019t afford this $2.3 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and corporations.\n\u00a0\nThe Ryan-McConnell tax legislation does not put the middle class first. American businesses and middle-class families deserve better.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-opening-statement-tax-legislation-conference-committee-meeting"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7332977838814259, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}