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Joint Economic Committee Democrats today released three reports on the dangerous threats TrumpCare poses to Americans across the country. The findings in these reports conclude that the latest Republican bill would make it harder for rural Americans to obtain health insurance; cut funding used for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs); and limit access to and increase costs for mental health services.
Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a fact sheet today on the state of retirement in the United States as Republicans attempt to pass Congressional Review Act legislation making it harder for Americans to save for retirement. Far too many workers do not have access to a retirement savings plan through their employer and many earn too little to save. The fact sheet details that more than 30 percent of workers do not have access to retirement benefits through their employer, and nearly 70 percent of the lowest-paid workers do not have access to a retirement plan.
President Trump’s choice to head the SEC – an independent agency charged with making sure Wall Street is kept in check – is not the enforcement cop that hard-working Americans and our recovering economy need at this moment. Quite the opposite. Mr. Clayton has been instrumental in helping the banking industry avoid regulators and game the system in their favor. If confirmed, I believe he would continue to put the interests of Wall Street first.
Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee — led by ranking member Sen. Martin Heinrich (N.M.) — will release two reports Thursday knocking Trump over his "broken promises" to rural communities and working-class families. The Democrats argue Trump has hurt families by undermining innovation, rolling back worker protections and making it harder to save for retirement. "By tilting the playing field further towards corporate interests, President Trump is stacking the deck against America's working families," says the report, a copy of which was obtained in advance by The Hill.
Senate Democrats, including Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, questioned Trump’s priorities in the proposed tax cuts. Heinrich called the proposal “a wish list for big corporations and his wealthy friends.” “Democrats and Republicans all agree our tax code should be reformed, but this certainly doesn’t pass the test,” said Heinrich, the ranking Democrat on the House-Senate Joint Economic Committee. “This proves that President Trump has no intention of reaching across the aisle to build consensus on reforms both parties can support.”
It took almost 100 days for President Trump to release a one-page tax proposal that reads like a wish list for big corporations and his wealthy friends. This outline lacks detail on how any of these many tax giveaways will be paid for. While President Trump continues to hide his tax returns, we can assume he is proposing to give himself tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks, rather than help struggling families to get ahead.
Also looking to help benefit the U.S. economy is U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), who released a report suggesting reduced wait times at ports of entry (POEs) in the United States. As ranking member of the Senate Joint Economic Committee, Heinrich released Economic Impact of Understaffing U.S. Ports of Entry, the April minority staff report suggesting that additional staff could help decrease the “long and unpredictable border wait times” that happen as trade and travelers move through U.S. POEs.
Joint Economic Committee Democrats today released the “March Economic Snapshot of the States,” which tracks state economic performance, families’ economic security, how well states are preparing for economic future with investments in people’s health and learning, and the costs of living that weigh on working families’ minds.