releases: https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-statement-ways-and-means-committee-s-passage-republican
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-statement-ways-and-means-committee-s-passage-republican | Rep. John Lewis' Statement on the Ways and Means Committee's Passage of Republican Tax Cut Legislation: A Missed Opportunity | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | GA | John Lewis | L000287 | johnlewis.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON — This afternoon the House Ways and Means Committee passed unprecedented tax cut legislation. As the only Georgian serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Lewis’ website tracked all Committee votes and amendments to ensure that public received timely information. Following the completion of the four-day markup, Rep. Lewis made the following statement – “Thirty-one years ago, I was elected to serve in the United States Congress in November 1986. The Ways and Means Committee Members spent thoughtful days, months, and years studying, learning, and working together to develop historic tax reform legislation was a model to my entire class. Their work inspired me to work hard for an appointment to the Ways and Means Committee – the oldest standing Committee in the House of Representatives. This week Ways and Means marked up a bill that is a shame and a disgrace to the example of those Members and the legacy of our Committee, which is responsible for the core constitutional responsibility of the Congress – the power of the purse. It is a duty, which I do not take lightly. For 16 years, the United States has been engaged in two wars, and for the first time in our nation’s history, the Congress failed to develop a way to pay for them. The bill does nothing to support the programs and services upon which veterans and military families, who make the daily sacrifice, rely. Instead, this tax cut bill pays for these wars on a credit card. The debt will be passed onto our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The failure to face this truth is disgraceful. As people in Metro Atlanta began to study the bill and calculate the costs, my office began receiving frantic phone calls and emails. They learned that the Republican tax cut bill would penalize students, seniors, the disabled, immigrants, and home owners. Faith leaders and charitable organizations would be unwillingly pulled into politics. Workers would lose employer support for training and education benefits, and the major community development, housing, transportation, water and sewer, and health programs upon which Metro Atlanta relies would suffer irreparable damage. Earlier today, I introduced 10 Missed Opportunities bills that require Federal agencies to report the cost of this dangerous, mean-spirited, and irresponsible legislation to Metro Atlanta and our nation. It is clear that this Republican Congress has no intention to do tax reform. Instead, we are considering a tax cut bill, which picks winners and losers. We need to be honest with ourselves and the American public about what this bill will mean to people today and to generations yet unborn.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |