Warner & Kaine Statement on Senate Passage of Republican Budget Megabill

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after they voted no on the Republican budget megabill:
“Today, Republicans jammed through a partisan megabill that slashes Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and other critical programs that Americans rely on in order to pay for massive tax breaks to the very rich. It’s clear that the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans are only interested in helping the wealthiest—even if it means ripping off working- and middle-class people, killing jobs, and hurting our economy. Americans deserve better than this. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure all Virginians have the support they need in the wake of this disastrous legislation.”
Sens.WarnerandKaineintroduced a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the bill. Republicans blocked them.
The senators have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families, noting that the GOP bill wouldstrip health insurance from about 323,000 Virginians,saddle families with medical debt,cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 Virginians, anddevastate rural communities. The bill would alsoexplode the deficit,jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs,raise energy costs,give the richest 0.1% a $255,125 tax cut, andeliminate a program allowing Americans to file federal taxes for free.

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