Merkley Statement on the Republican Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the below statement after the latest troubling economic news on the Republican economy. “We are in the grip of the Trump Slump. Americans’ optimism on the economy has reached a near-record low, Moody’s has downgraded the United States’ credit rating, and families continue to pay more due to Trump’s trade war. “On top of that, in the dark of night last night, House Budget Committee Republicans voted to advance a reconciliation bill with one outcome: Families lose and billionaires win. Under this bill, millions lose health care and millions of children go hungry to fund tax breaks for billionaires. This is the Great Betrayal of American families. “And to add insult to injury, the bill explodes the national debt by trillions of dollars as compared to current law. This greatly compromises the ability to serve the American people far into the future,” said Ranking Member Jeff Merkley. ###