[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 180 (Monday, November 6, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8513-H8520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1930
TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS AND OTHER ISSUES OF THE DAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2017, the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett)
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
General Leave
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
any extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
There was no objection.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today
to anchor this CBC Special Order hour. The Congressional Black Caucus,
under the leadership of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond), is
committed to sharing with this Congress, as well as with the American
people, the issues of great importance to the Caucus, to Congress, and
to the constituents we represent.
For this Special Order hour, at this time, we believe it is very and
vitally important to discuss the temporary protective status of Haiti
and other countries.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague, the gentlewoman from Utah (Mrs.
Love), to discuss this very important issue.
Mrs. LOVE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues at the CBC for the
opportunity to speak at this Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I traveled to Haiti to investigate
sex trafficking, as part of my work on the Financial Services
Committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance. While I was
there, I had the opportunity to observe conditions as well as meet with
leadership and the President.
What I saw was a nation struggling to rebuild after the 2010 tragedy
that hurt and rattled the nation with an earthquake, a cholera
epidemic, and Hurricane Matthew. What I heard was the nation was not
prepared for the tens of thousands of Haitians that were to return.
Haitian TPS recipients contribute significantly to the United States'
economy and to the Haitian economy. As Haiti works not only to rebuild,
but to rise itself out of poverty that has plagued it for years, I ask
the White House to please take a moment to help our friends and allies
in Haiti and to extend the temporary protective status.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman so very much for
her moving words. I know that this is an issue that is very close to
her heart, being of Haitian-American descent, and we are grateful for
her leadership on this, being supportive of the letters to the
President, letters to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for her
working in a bipartisan fashion to support the people of Haiti as well
as other countries on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond),
the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus who is leading us in this
discussion that is affecting the people of Haiti as well as other
countries, along with the President's tax plan and how it would affect
those Americans who are the least of us and would have the most
repercussions for that.
Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from the
Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett) for leading this Special Order and for
the outstanding work that she has done as her island, the U.S. Virgin
Islands, recovers from two devastating hurricanes.
Being from New Orleans, I understand what two twin hurricanes can do.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged our city, our State, along with
Mississippi, Texas, and the Gulf Coast. To be very candid, the people
of the Virgin Islands, unfortunately, are doing this too much on their
own.
Part of what makes America exceptional, part of what makes us the
greatest country in the world is that when we find our citizens in a
vulnerable position, through no fault of their own, we come in as a
government and we help. When you look at the Virgin Islands and the
fact that the damage they have received is more than their capacity to
rebuild, and it is through no fault of their own, it is Mother Nature.
It is an act of God.
Some would say it is global warming and climate change, but it
doesn't matter what caused it. What matters is the United States'
response to how we fix it. So when we start talking about our response
to the Virgin Islands, it is a great segue into Haiti and temporary
protective status.
[[Page H8514]]
It was that 2010 earthquake that rendered Haiti in a position where
they could no longer safely and adequately care for their citizens, and
we allowed them to have temporary protective status in the United
States. On May 24 of this year, the Department of Homeland Security
redesignated Haiti for 6 months of temporary protective status rather
than 18 months that the Government of Haiti, Haiti experts from the
United States, the Congressional Black Caucus, and others requested.
The fact is, the DHS designation didn't reflect any of the reality on
the ground. In fact, it ignored that there is great food scarcity, and
it ignored the ongoing challenges posed by the unprecedented
earthquake.
We sent a letter November 3 asking once again to fully extend Haiti's
TPS designation for another 18 months. However, time and time again,
unfortunately, it appears that this administration, through all of the
rhetoric, has an inability to do right when right is needed, especially
when we talk about vulnerable populations, especially when we talk
about immigrants. It is too easy for this administration to turn a
blind eye and ignore real-life needs.
Now, there are some out there who could argue: Is this America's
issue?
I would argue that it is absolutely America's issue.
First of all, not extending the TPS will have drastic consequences
for the United States' economy. That is why the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, national security experts, and the Catholic bishops have all
come out in support of extending this vital program, because they know
that these nations are in no condition to receive the 300,000 people
that will be returned to them.
They understand the public health crisis and the destabilization of
the new government. In El Salvador and Honduras, the return of 250,000
people would strain government services and lead to job displacement in
countries besieged by violence, drug trafficking, and weak
institutions.
So let me just clear it up for a lot of Americans sitting at home and
asking: Well, why does this affect us?
Thirty percent of TPS recipients are homeowners in the United States.
So just think about the consequences of simultaneously dumping 60,000
mortgages on the U.S. housing market. Think about 13,000 mortgages in
Texas, 5,000 mortgages in Florida, 4,100 in Virginia. The mass
deportation alone will cost the taxpayers of this country more than $3
billion.
Oftentimes, we find ourselves in this place, in this body arguing
about the fiscal argument of things and talking about how it would
affect our economy--which I just did--talking about how it would hurt
the U.S. market in foreclosures and mortgages, and we give all of these
examples of how this could bankrupt the United States.
The bigger concern we have, and that this administration should have,
is that this country is on the fast track to moral bankruptcy because
we do not stand up when we are supposed to; we don't call out wrong
when we see it; and, too often, we turn our backs to injustice. That is
not what this country is about. That is not what made this country
great. So with that, I would just say that it is time for this country,
this Congress, this administration, to do what is right simply because
it is the right thing to do.
It just so happens that the right thing to do this time has extreme
economic benefits that go along with it. Tonight, you are going to hear
from a number of our remarkable Congressional Black Caucus members who
don't just advocate for Black people. We advocate for people all across
this country who are oftentimes voiceless, who can't afford lobbyists,
who don't influence government, but people who just wake up every day,
go to work, put food on their table, provide for their kids, and hope
for a better future for their families. They hope that their parents
can live out their lives with dignity and respect. They hope that their
immediate family--that they can provide for their kids, and their kids
can reach their wildest dreams.
That is the American Dream. That is what we fight for. It is such a
great privilege to be the chair of that Caucus. You will see in the
next couple of seconds the talent and the passion of which this Caucus
fights for, which is why I am so proud and humbled to lead this Caucus
during this Congress.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks. We
are grateful and thankful and proud to have him as the chairman of the
Congressional Black Caucus, particularly in the time period that were
are in, because the energy and passion that he has for people of color
and for all Americans is extremely evident.
The fact that we are not having discussions that are based on
emotion, but really based on facts, digging more into policy and the
actual effects that those policies have on Americans and throughout
this country, is something that is what I think this Congress should be
driven by, rather than emotion or visceral reactions to actions that
people have that take our eyes off of the things that we should be
focused on.
We are grateful that he is continually not moved by the shiny object
that is in the room, but on the real bread-and-butter issues that
affect Americans. When he talks about the talent of the members of the
CBC, part of that talent is in its grounding, in those members of the
Congressional Black Caucus that have been engaged in this battle, in
this struggle, in this fight, that have had this passion for many
years.
I am happy to yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who
has been at the forefront in fighting for people who have been
underserved not only in this country, but around the world. It is
through the work of this Member that individuals and countries in
Africa have been able to receive the support from this country as this
country was trying to pull it away in other parts of the world. We are
grateful for her doing it in her own backyard in California, but also
in those inner cities throughout this country and rural areas as she
sits on the Appropriations Committee to support Americans throughout
the country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding,
and also for organizing us here tonight and every week on the issues
that are so important to this country. Her leadership,
specifically, for the Virgin Islands, is truly commendable, and just
know that we are doing everything we can do under her leadership to
help her recover and rebuild.
Mr. Speaker, I just have to say to our chair of the Congressional
Black Caucus, Congressman Richmond, I have to thank him for his bold
and his visionary leadership of the CBC.
First, let me just take a moment to offer my deepest condolences to
the family, friends, and community of those who lost loved ones in the
senseless act of gun violence in Texas, my home State. We mourn their
loss, we pray for the recovery of those injured, and we say once again
that this House needs action on gun safety measures to save lives. Our
thoughts and prayers are with them tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the urgent need to preserve temporary
protective status for immigrants fleeing famine, war, and violent
conditions around the world, especially those countries from within the
African diaspora who account for 10 percent of all TPS beneficiaries.
Today, 440,000 individuals from 10 countries reside in the United
States under temporary protective status because, as a nation, we have
kept our commitment to being a beacon of hope and security for those in
need.
The TPS program grants immigrants the right to lawfully remain in the
United States for 6 to 18 months. This longstanding practice has been
honored for decades through Democratic and Republican administrations
because, regardless of political affiliations as Americans, we have
always stood for protecting the value of human life.
Sadly, the Trump administration fails to grasp the lifesaving impact
of this program.
{time} 1945
Just last month, the administration announced that it would terminate
the TPS designation for Sudan, despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis
in the region.
In the coming days and weeks, Mr. Speaker, the Trump administration,
unfortunately, will decide the fate of TPS holders from vulnerable
countries including Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Haiti. Let me
be clear: failure to renew TPS status would mean
[[Page H8515]]
deportation for over 300,000 individuals who are working and living in
the United States.
We also know that this issue disproportionately impacts immigrants
from countries within the African diaspora. Take Haiti for example.
After a devastating earthquake and horrific hurricane, there is an
active cholera outbreak and protracted food security crisis. Letting
TPS expire for this country would send 50,000 people back to uncertain
fates. An influx of people of this size would further destabilize a
fragile recovery. That is why I joined my colleagues in sending a
letter to the Department of Homeland Security calling for a full 18-
month extension of Haiti's TPS designation.
In El Salvador and Honduras, the return of over 250,000 people would
strain government services and lead to job displacement in countries
besieged by violence, narcotics trafficking, and weak institutions.
Unfortunately, this week, Secretary Tillerson falsely claimed that
conditions on the ground no longer warrant TPS designation for these
countries. How he came up with that, I have no idea. This is really a
shame and a disgrace. That is why members of the Congressional Black
Caucus are here tonight fighting for temporary protected status because
we cannot turn our backs on our brothers and sisters in their time of
need. TPS holders have families, they own businesses, and they
contribute to this country in countless ways.
At a time when devastating hurricanes and flooding ravages our
neighbors in the Caribbean, the last thing that our government should
be doing is turning its back on TPS holders. It is not only TPS holders
that we are fighting for. We are also now recognizing, understanding,
knowing, and making public--as everyone knows--that millions of
undocumented youth are living in fear of deportation because this
President and Republicans in Congress can't muster the courage to do
what is right.
Our Nation has been and should continue to be a nation of immigrants.
From TPS to DACA, deporting innocent young people who came to the
United States to escape devastation and violence, or as a child, is not
only wrong, it is really cruel, and it is heartless. So that is why we
will continue to fight to protect undocumented youth as we work towards
comprehensive immigration reform once and for all.
Now we are going to say we are going to continue to fight to make
sure temporary protective status is granted for the 300,000 immigrants.
I want to thank Delegate Plaskett for helping us to, once again, raise
our voices, educate the public, and stay woke.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, as we give condolences to those
individuals in Texas, of course, we would be remiss not to give
condolences out to our colleague and one of the former chairs of the
Congressional Black Caucus, Eddie Bernice Johnson, who has lost one of
her siblings. We just want her to know that our prayers are with her
and with her family as they grieve, and we are there for the
gentlewoman throughout this mourning process and however she may need
us.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke).
The gentlewoman is my dear sister. She is a tireless champion of the
issues of Caribbean people throughout the United States and throughout
the world. Congresswoman Yvette Clarke is not just from New York, but,
in particular, Brooklyn. She knows how that is very dear to me having
been a child of Brooklyn myself.
Congresswoman Clarke's work and all the efforts she has made in being
one of the co-chairs of the Caribbean Caucus, being the member at large
of the Congressional Black Caucus, the work that the gentlewoman is
doing, and she has really forged a partnership with the chair of the
Congressional Black Caucus as well as Mia Love to make sure that the
issue regarding Haiti, regarding the Haitians, and the temporary
protected status are here. It is because of the gentlewoman's work that
we are now having the Special Order hour and are continuing to push the
pressure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman to discuss with us, with the
American people, with this Congress, and with the Speaker how we should
be moving forward with the issues regarding the people of Haiti and how
extending the temporary protected status is not only good for the
Haitian economy, it is good for America as well.
I thank the gentlewoman for leading us in this effort.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the
U.S. Virgin Islands for her leadership on this matter, serving as co-
chair for the Caribbean Caucus, and being an outspoken advocate and
fighter on behalf of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands who are
still reeling from the two hurricanes that wreaked havoc on the three
islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands. I want to thank the gentlewoman for
organizing us this evening and really moderating what we all have to
say here today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concern for the more than
300,000 temporary protected status beneficiaries who are under attack
from this administration.
Temporary protected status was signed into law with bipartisan
support by President George H. W. Bush as part of the Immigration Act
of 1990. Since then, it has been used in roughly equal numbers by
Democratic and Republican Presidents alike. This program is based on a
simple idea that we can all agree upon: the idea that it is immoral to
send someone back to a country suffering from famine, disease, war, or
governmental collapse where they could reasonably expect to perish.
Today, instead, we, as a society, decided long ago as a humanitarian
gesture to extend ourselves as a safe haven and to temporarily allow
such people the ability to lawfully remain in the United States for up
to 18 months at a time and seek gainful employment as conditions in
their home countries would improve.
This is not citizenship, and this is not amnesty. Rather, it is a way
of protecting human life while allowing eligible individuals from
Haiti, Yemen, Honduras, Nicaragua, and numerous other countries across
the world to earn wages for themselves and their loved ones abroad.
Unfortunately, this administration's antipathy toward immigrants--
particularly immigrants of color--has found its way to some of the most
vulnerable amongst us and threatens the existence of this commonsense
program rooted in human decency and respect for life.
This program of agreement is now being totally undermined with real
lives hanging in the balance. For example, while it would seem obvious
to extend Haiti's temporary protected status in light of the
catastrophic 2010 earthquake, subsequent cholera epidemic, food
insecurity crisis, and the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Matthew,
Irma, and Maria, this administration only extended Haiti's status for 6
months in the month of May, while, at the same time, the administration
insinuated that Haitian TPS recipients were criminals.
The administration now appears ready to ignore the advice of Haiti
experts in the United States and the request of the Haitian Ambassador
by forcing some 50,000 Haitians to subject themselves to life-
threatening conditions in Haiti. This would not just be tragic for
those forced to return, it would also be detrimental to Haiti's economy
which benefits significantly from the hard-earned remittances that
Haitian TPS beneficiaries send back to their loved ones. It is also no
way to treat a neighbor that is located less than a 2-hour flight away
from American soil, the most impoverished nation of the Western
Hemisphere. Indeed, such a decision would be cruel and unusual
punishment.
For this reason, I have worked with Congressman Cedric Richmond,
chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and my colleagues of the
Congressional Black Caucus in sending a letter to Acting DHS Secretary
Elaine Duke, signed by the entire Congressional Black Caucus,
requesting a full 18-month extension of Haiti's TPS status. I also
asked that Acting Secretary Duke take the Haitian Ambassador up on his
invitation to visit Haiti and to see the conditions for herself.
However, Haiti is not the only country that clearly merits an
extension. Nearly 60,000 Hondurans and Nicaraguans currently await news
of their fate, as will thousands of other immigrants from Africa, Asia,
and the Middle East.
[[Page H8516]]
While I hope that Acting Secretary Duke will do the right thing and
make an evidence-based decision in light of the human cost to her
actions, our experience teaches us that we must also prepare for the
worst.
Where this administration refuses to respect decades of bipartisan
agreement, Congress must assert its constitutional powers and act to
safeguard human life and American interests. I, therefore, call upon my
congressional colleagues to come together and pass bipartisan
legislation that will protect the hundreds of thousands of TPS
beneficiaries from around the world--Black, brown, Asian and other--who
are, at this moment, relying upon us for their very lives.
Although we live in times of great division, now is the moment to
come together and recommit to the basic values that unite us all. This
country was founded upon the idea of human dignity, and TPS is yet
another test of whether we will be true to that idea or fall painfully
short. We must not fall short, but instead we must rise to the
occasion.
Mr. Speaker, TPS is something that falls within our purview to
address. It is my sincere hope that we will address this impending
crisis.
When I think about Haitians who are living here, many who, at this
stage, had children born in the United States, and many who are here
during the most productive time of their lives when they can work
because of their strength, their ability, and their intellect, it would
be a travesty to begin separating families and to wrench from these
individuals the opportunity to add value to our civil society while
undergirding the nation of their birth, the nation that many hope to
return to at the appropriate time by summarily excusing them from our
civil society.
Having said that, I, too, stand with my colleagues to extend on
behalf of Chairman Richmond, the executive officers, and members of the
CBC a heartfelt condolence in this season of bereavement to our dear
colleague, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, on the loss of her
sister. She remains in our prayers at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the U.S. Virgin Islands,
once again, for her leadership.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman very much for the
insight she has given us into the conditions not only in Haiti but the
responsibility we have as Americans to our near neighbor, to a neighbor
which supported us during our own Revolution, and who was there for us
at the inception of the United States.
Haiti has been ravaged by so many natural disasters, and the benefit
that we are receiving and the benefit that so much of Haiti is
receiving from those individuals who are really industrious people here
in the United States is just bar none.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Newark, New Jersey (Mr.
Payne). Mr. Donald Payne has worked tirelessly on behalf of so many
people throughout the world as he sits on the Committees of Homeland
Security as well as Transportation and Infrastructure where he works on
issues related to developing and building. It has oversight in homeland
security and over the issues that affect us.
I am sure Congressman Payne has particular insight into how this
temporary protected status would affect the people of Haiti and what it
means to the security of this country to allow that temporary protected
status to be continued from the gentleman's perch on the Committee on
Homeland Security.
{time} 2000
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank the gentlewoman from the
Virgin Islands for her leadership on these issues. Right now, her focus
has been on helping her country come to grips with the devastating
hurricanes that have struck all the islands of the American Virgin
Islands, and she has demonstrated great leadership in that endeavor.
Also, on the whole issue around TPS, Ms. Plaskett and Ms. Clarke have
been our true leaders in the diaspora around these issues, whether it
be the Caribbean or back to the Continent of Africa. I just want to
acknowledge their great work on all of these issues and also thank the
gentlewoman for hosting tonight's Special Order hour on protecting TPS
recipients.
Before I start on the topic at hand, I would like to send my
condolences out to the loved ones of the 26 people tragically murdered
and the 21 people injured in yesterday's mass shooting in Texas.
When will we realize that something must be done in this country?
I have to ask: How much blood must be shed before Congress acts on
gun control?
It has been 10 years since Congress has passed a gun control law.
Since then, more than 300,000 people have been killed by guns in this
country. More than 100,000 of those deaths were homicides. The American
people deserve better--much better.
As the news cycle moves from one tragedy to another, we have not
forgotten, and must not forget, that the citizens that Congresswoman
Stacey Plaskett and Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto
Rico represent are still recovering from this summer's hurricanes.
They, too, deserve swift action to help them recover from these
devastating storms.
That, Mr. Speaker, brings me to the topic of tonight's Special Order
hour. I want to start by dispelling the myth that the temporary
protected status designation poses a threat to America's security. The
truth is that TPS holders are rigorously vetted before entering the
country, and they go through stringent background checks before each
TPS renewal.
Mr. Speaker, the TPS designation is a part of our national character,
and it must be protected.
What do I mean by that?
We are a compassionate people, aren't we--a compassionate nation?
The Americans I know are proud to live in a country that is free and
prosperous enough to extend a helping hand to those in need. The TPS
designation does just that.
TPS is a helping hand that reaches out past our national borders to
lift people out of the depths of despair brought on by natural
disaster, violence, or turmoil. Yet the administration is reportedly
planning to remove the TPS designation for nationals of several Latin
American and Caribbean countries. This is really bad news for the
United States.
First, ending the TPS designation for nationals of Haiti, El
Salvador, and Honduras will destabilize communities in the United
States proper. TPS holders own small businesses. They pay taxes. They
take out mortgages. They fill jobs that we rely on every day in
construction; hospitality; restaurants; landscaping; and elder care, in
particular.
Ending TPS designations mean ripping people out of their communities
and local economies. Businesses will shutter. Essential jobs, like
disaster cleanup, will go unfilled. The national economy will suffer a
$164 billion loss in gross domestic product.
Without TPS holders from Haiti, El Salvador, and Honduras, New Jersey
will lose $864 million from its GDP. My State cannot handle that
burden.
Second, ending TPS designations for Haiti, El Salvador, and Honduras
will tear apart families of color. Many TPS holders have lawfully lived
in the United States for more than a decade. They have established
their families here. They are parents to 270,000 U.S. citizens. In New
Jersey, 8,800 U.S. citizens were born to TPS holders from Haiti, El
Salvador, and Honduras.
Forcing TPS holders to leave the country means forcing them to leave
their families. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens will have to say
good-bye to their parents and grandparents. People will be forced to
return to countries that are still suffering from the problems that led
them to the TPS designation in the first place.
Third, removing the TPS designation for nationals from Haiti, El
Salvador, and Honduras will threaten security throughout Latin America
and the Caribbean. These small countries are still suffering from
disasters, public health crises, and political instability.
The sudden influx of 300,000 additional people has the potential to
destabilize national governments and threaten security throughout the
region.
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, 2016, and 2017, I led the effort to get the TPS
designation for Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. These countries were
reeling from public health and infrastructure
[[Page H8517]]
emergencies. They faced an existential threat from the Ebola virus, and
the American people lent a helping hand by giving them temporary
protected status. I have had no doubt that authorizing nationals from
those West African countries to enter the United States saved lives; no
doubt whatsoever.
Mr. Speaker, we must not abandon our national character to the
cynical call of ``America first.'' The TPS designation does not weaken
us. It strengthens us by showing the world that the United States is
morally worthy of its status as a superpower.
Rolling back the TPS program is bad policy, it is bad politics, and
it is immoral. If the United States turns its back on those in need,
what have we the people become?
Ms. PLASKETT. I thank the gentleman for the information that he has
shared with us, and, more particularly, for causing us to reflect on
who we are as Americans and what we stand for, and for reminding this
Congress and this House how we have a responsibility to those in need,
and that with greatness comes responsibility. Too whom much is given,
much is required. That requirement goes particularly to our neighbors.
We know that Haiti is, in fact, our neighbor. We have a responsibility
to be there for them.
I thank the gentleman for all that he is doing and how often he is
here for the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour to give us
information and give us time to reflect. I am extremely appreciative of
that. I thank the gentleman so much for all that he does for the
Congressional Black Caucus, for his steady reliability in being there
to support the issues that are important to the Caucus and to all of us
as Americans.
Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time is remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Francis Rooney of Florida). The
gentlewoman has 20 minutes remaining.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida
(Mrs. Demings). She may be new to this Congress--this is her first
term, as a freshman--but she is not new to supporting issues that are
important to the American people. In her time in Florida, having served
as a public servant on the front lines for all of us and now here in
the Congress, she is continuing that work.
From her position on Homeland Security and particularly to border and
maritime security, this is an issue that she has great insight into. I
know that she has a large number of Haitians in her own community and
recognize the productivity that they provide, the stability that they
provide in the community, how embedded they are in that community.
We are grateful for the gentlewoman being here in part of this
Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour on the issue of temporary
protected status for all countries--there are 30 countries and 300,000
individuals that have that--but, in particular, to the 50,000 Haitians
who are living in this country during this time.
Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the Virgin
Islands for her leadership on this issue and for making it a priority
and giving it the urgency that those under TPS status deserve.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, of course, I want to extend my condolences
to the families whose loved ones were murdered in Sutherland Springs,
Texas, while attending worship service.
I also extend my condolences to my colleague from Texas, Eddie
Bernice Johnson, who is mourning the death of her sister.
Mr. Speaker, after college--it was a lot of years ago, but I remember
it like it was yesterday--I worked as a social worker, working with
families in need of emergency services, in need of shelter, in need of
food, and in need of medical care. I also worked with foster care
children.
Mr. Speaker, you may know that I also spent over 20 years as a law
enforcement officer. As such, the preservation of human life was my
number one priority. Saving lives was first. But then we also wanted to
improve the quality of life for persons living and working in our
community.
Mr. Speaker, the quality of life matters also. That is what we are
here to talk about tonight as Members of Congress: improving the
quality of life for families who desperately need our help.
Approximately 50,000 Haitians hold TPS status, and 32,500 of them
live in Florida. 18,800 U.S.-born children in Florida have Haitian
parents who are TPS holders.
How did we get here, Mr. Speaker?
As you know, an earthquake--not planned, not expected--left thousands
dead and resulted in the total collapse of Port-au-Prince's
infrastructure. A few years before the earthquake, I participated in a
mission trip to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We worked with children and
families from a local church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. That church was
totally destroyed by the earthquake.
The earthquake displaced 1.5 million Haitians within their own
country, destroyed more than 100,000 homes, and damaged nearly 200,000
more. The number of schools that were destroyed in Port-au-Prince alone
is unbelievable. Over 55,000 Haitians who lost their homes in the
earthquake are still living in 31 camps for internally displaced
persons, unable to leave.
We are here tonight to talk about improving the quality of life for
persons, for families, who desperately need our help.
{time} 2015
This crisis is not over. In April of this year, heavy rains caused
flooding and landslides. According to the Haitian officials, an
estimated 80 percent of spring harvest may have been destroyed.
This crisis is not over. Since September of 2016, damage from
Hurricane Matthew and recent rains have compounded food insecurity
experienced by an estimated 3.2 million people in Haiti, not to mention
the devastation caused by Irma and Hurricane Maria. Hurricane Matthew
also exacerbated the food insecurity crisis that already existed,
placing 2.4 million Haitians, 32 percent of the population, in the
grips of an acute food insecurity crisis.
Mr. Speaker, forcing the return of 50,000 people to Haiti would
disrupt any meaningful effort to recover. As you know, in May, the
Department of Homeland Security redesignated Haiti for 6 months of
temporary protective status rather than the full 18 months requested by
the Government of Haiti. DHS' decision, obviously, did not reflect the
reality on the ground.
Regardless of how you might feel about the policy, TPS holders are
perhaps the most vetted, legally present, and work-authorized community
in our country. They have submitted to numerous criminal background
checks every 18 months. Americans with temporary protective status are
hardworking individuals who are contributing to our economy, our
communities, and our industries. Just check the numbers.
Mr. Speaker, the only strategic and humane decision is to fully
extend Haiti's TPS designation for 18 months by the November 23
deadline. Working to improve the quality of life for families who
desperately need our help, that is the promise of America, and I pray
that America keeps its promise.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Demings so much for that
heartfelt appeal to the better senses of us, to the better angels
within us as Americans, but, also, just speaking practicably about what
this policy does not only for Haiti, but for us as Americans.
You know, you hear stories about most people, how this affects them.
We hear the larger numbers: 50,000 individuals from Haiti, 300,000
individual groupings from all other countries. We found out, a report
just came out, that Nicaragua will only have 12 additional months for
temporary protective status, while the conditions in Nicaragua have not
changed.
I heard a story about a woman, Joana Desir, one of the Haitians. On a
recent day in Manhattan, the 32-year-old home healthcare provider races
in between patients. By midday, she has already helped transport one of
her regular patients, a young girl with severe respiratory disease, to
school and visited two senior patients in their home. It is a hard job,
but she says it is rewarding.
``Most of the immigrants that I know, they have a busy life like
me,'' she says. ``I leave home like 5:45 a.m. and sometimes get home by
like 9 p.m.''
Joana came to the U.S. in 2018 and was still in the U.S. when a
powerful
[[Page H8518]]
earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. Hundreds of thousands were killed, and
the Obama administration granted Haitians temporary protective status.
They were shielded from deportation and given work permits.
Critics say the temporary program for Haiti and others where
disasters and wars took place decades ago has become permanent and
amounts to a backdoor immigration policy. However, what we need to
understand is what is still going on in Haiti right now.
Why this also makes sense for us is that it is estimated by the think
tank Inter-American Dialogue that all Haitians abroad this year--this
year alone, Mr. Speaker--will send home $2 billion in remittances to
that country. That is nearly equal to Haiti's annual operating budget,
that $2 billion. The money that the Haitians that are living in the
United States and sending back home is keeping that economy afloat.
Without the money that the Haitians in the United States, in America,
are providing, there would be a complete collapse in the country of
Haiti, which would then create additional cataclysmic work that we, as
Americans, would need.
We talk about immigrants trying to come into this country. We talk
about the collapse of infrastructure, the collapse of an economy that
will happen if the Haitians who are still living here in the United
States under temporary protective status with jobs are caused to leave.
On May 24, the Department of Homeland Security redesignated Haiti for
6 months of temporary protective status rather than the full 18 months.
It is important to understand that, because of that smaller amount of
time, Haitians still have to apply. It costs almost $2,000 to apply for
an extension of a visa. These people are in flux as to whether or not
they should continue to apply.
In a letter sent on Friday, November 3, the Congressional Black
Caucus urged the Department of Homeland Security once again to fully
extend Haiti's TPS designation for 18 months by the November 23
deadline in light of the aforementioned conditions in Haiti, as well as
the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which has exacerbated
these conditions.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record that letter from the
Congressional Black Caucus for others to see.
Congressional Black Caucus,
November 3, 2017.
Hon. Elaine C. Duke,
Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington,
DC.
Dear Acting Secretary Duke: On May 24, the Department of
Homeland Security re-designated Haiti for 6 months of
Temporary Protected Status, rather than the full 18 months
requested by the Government of Haiti, Haiti experts in the
United States, the Congressional Black Caucus, and others.
This decision was against the weight of the facts on the
ground, which included Haiti's food scarcity crisis, cholera
epidemic, and the ongoing challenges posed by the
unprecedented 2010 earthquake. We write again to encourage
DHS to fully extend Haiti's TPS designation for 18 months by
the November 23 deadline in light of the clear conditions
that justify such continued treatment, including the damage
caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which has exacerbated
these conditions.
As recently as October 4, 2017, the Haitian Ambassador to
the United States wrote to you to formally request a full 18-
month re-designation in light of the ongoing economic and
humanitarian conditions that Haiti's citizens face each day.
In that letter, the Ambassador explicitly stated that the
goal of this request was to allow Haiti to recover from the
effects of the earthquake, cholera epidemic, and Hurricanes
Matthew, Irma, and Maria so as to continue with Haiti's
recovery efforts and to become more independent of American
assistance in the long term. The Ambassador also graciously
invited you to visit Haiti and see such conditions for
yourself. A government does not undertake such action lightly
and this request should merit considerable weight.
A recent independent statutory analysis of Haiti's
qualification for TPS confirmed the validity of the
government's concerns, finding that the conditions that
justified Haiti's 2011 re-designation remain. The analysis
found that nearly 40,000 Haitians uprooted by the 2010
earthquake are officially displaced and that many more likely
remain unofficially displaced in dangerously inadequate
shelters. The cholera epidemic that was tragically caused by
international efforts to aid Haiti in 2010 more than doubled
following Hurricane Matthew and is expected to directly
affect more than 30,000 people by the end of 2017. Hurricane
Matthew also exacerbated the food insecurity crisis in Haiti,
placing 2.4 million Haitians--22 percent of its population--
in the grips of an acute food insecurity crisis. Based on
these clear facts, the analysis rightfully concluded that it
is in the best interest of Haiti and the United States to re-
designate Haiti for another 18 months of TPS because it
continues to face extraordinary and temporary conditions
stemming from the 2010 earthquake and worsened by subsequent
events that justify such relief.
Despite these serious challenges, the Haitian government
has been working diligently for years to improve its economy,
public health conditions, and infrastructure in coordination
with the United States government and international
community. In order to accomplish this task, Haiti relies in
large part on remittances that its citizens receive from TPS
beneficiaries in the United States. Therefore, the negative
consequences of terminating Haiti's TPS designation would be
twofold. It would end essential remittances that
significantly contribute to Haiti's recovery while also
forcing the poorest republic in the Western Hemisphere to
absorb the cost of reintegrating thousands of citizens all at
once. Such actions could be catastrophic to Haiti's recovery
efforts and run counter to Congressional efforts to improve
American relations in the region through the recently-passed
United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act (Public Law
114-291).
Finally, it is essential to note that Haitian TPS
beneficiaries directly contribute to the United States. They
pay taxes, spend money, contribute to Social Security and
Medicare, and help promote American prosperity in numerous
sectors, such as the restaurant and food service,
construction, and hospitality industries. About 30 percent of
TPS beneficiaries are homeowners, stimulating the real estate
industry and contributing to the local property tax base.
Also, one in nine TPS beneficiaries in the labor force is
self-employed, meaning they not only create jobs for
themselves, but likely create jobs for others. A recent
report found ``that the expiration of Haitian TPS would cost
America $2.8 billion over a decade in lost gross domestic
product.
For these reasons, we urge you in the strongest terms to
take advantage of the full amount of time granted by Congress
to study the conditions on the ground and reach the only
appropriate decision--a full 18-month re-designation of
Haiti's TPS designation.
Sincerely,
Cedric L. Richmond, Chair, Congressional Black Caucus;
Yvette D. Clarke, Chair, CBC Immigration Working Group;
Cory Booker, U.S. Senator; Kamala D. Harris, U.S.
Senator; John Conyers, Jr., Member of Congress; John
Lewis, Member of Congress; Eleanor Holmes Norton,
Member of Congress; Maxine Waters, Member of Congress;
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Member of Congress; James E.
Clyburn, Member of Congress; Alcee L. Hastings, Member
of Congress; Eddie Bernice Johnson, Member of Congress;
Bobby L. Rush, Member of Congress; Robert C. ``Bobby''
Scott, Member of Congress; Bennie G. Thompson, Member
of Congress; Sheila Jackson Lee, Member of Congress;
Elijah E. Cummings, Member of Congress.
Danny K. Davis, Member of Congress; Gregory W. Meeks,
Member of Congress; Barbara Lee, Member of Congress;
Wm. Lacy Clay, Jr., Member of Congress; David Scott,
Member of Congress; G.K. Butterfield, Member of
Congress; Emanuel Cleaver II, Member of Congress; Al
Green, Member of Congress; Gwen S. Moore, Member of
Congress; Keith Ellison, Member of Congress; Hank
Johnson, Member of Congress; Andre Carson, Member of
Congress; Marcia L. Fudge, Member of Congress; Karen
Bass, Member of Congress; Terri A. Sewell, Member of
Congress; Frederica Wilson, Member of Congress; Donald
M. Payne, Jr., Member of Congress.
Joyce Beatty, Member of Congress; Hakeem Jeffries, Member
of Congress; Marc Veasey, Member of Congress; Robin
Kelly, Member of Congress; Alma Adams, Member of
Congress; Brenda Lawrence, Member of Congress; Mia
Love, Member of Congress; Stacey Plaskett, Member of
Congress; Bonnie Watson Coleman, Member of Congress;
Dwight Evans, Member of Congress; Lisa Blunt Rochester,
Member of Congress; Anthony Brown, Member of Congress;
Val Butler Demings, Member of Congress; Al Lawson,
Member of Congress; A. Donald McEachin, Member of
Congress.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, in that letter, which is signed by all of
the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who are members in both
the Democratic as well as Republican caucus, Members in the House as
well as the Senate, we urge Secretary Duke that the Ambassador to Haiti
has explicitly stated that the goal of the request was to allow Haiti
to recover from the effects of the earthquake, a cholera epidemic, and
Hurricanes Matthew, Irma, and Maria.
Matthew struck Haiti in 2016 of last year. Of course you are aware of
Irma and Maria. We Americans, unbeknownst to ourselves and the work
[[Page H8519]]
that we have done, also exacerbated food insecurity in Haiti by placing
individuals, causing the cholera epidemic that is there. Unbeknownst to
ourselves, when we came there to give support to Haiti, we Americans
brought the cholera epidemic that is now ravaging Haiti and has taken
about 10,000 people.
Additionally, Hurricane Matthew exacerbated the food insecurity
crisis in Haiti, placing 2.4 million Haitians, 22 percent of the
population, in the grips of an acute food security crisis.
I have many Haitians who are in my community in the U.S. Virgin
Islands, and we count them as some of our hardest workers, and we
recognize the impact that sending so many of these people back would
have not only on the loss of jobs here and the work that those
individuals are doing in the United States, but on the economy of Haiti
itself.
There is no infrastructure that will support the 50,000 people going
back to Haiti at this time, and that economy will probably completely
collapse without the remittances that the Haitians who are living in
the United States would be able to bring to that country.
Therefore, the negative consequences of terminating Haiti's TPS
designation would be twofold: such actions would be catastrophic to
Haiti's recovery efforts and run counter to congressional efforts to
improve American relations in the region through the recently passed
United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act, Public Law 114-291.
So the 300,000 Honduran, Nicaraguan, Haitian, and Salvadoran
immigrants await a mass deportation decision on temporary protective
status, and we are requesting--we are urging, Mr. Speaker--that this
Congress would continue to urge the Department of Homeland Security,
and use our own powers, to ensure the safety of those individuals,
ensure the safety of the stability of the economies of our near
neighbors, of Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador, and urge the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security for their protections not to
expire and not to put these people into difficult choices of returning
to countries that still face many of the same extraordinary conditions
that led to the initial grant of TPS or remaining in the United States
without lawful immigrant status.
We believe that this is the right thing to do, that this Congress
wants to do the right thing, that the Trump administration's 2018
proposed budget cut, budget request to Congress, for example, proposes
to reduce foreign aid to Latin America and the Caribbean to levels not
seen since 2001. Because of that, the remittances of these individuals
is even more important. Remittances from the United States to El
Salvador equal $4 billion; Honduras, $3.3 billion; to Haiti, almost $2
billion. Using GDP estimates from the World Bank, remittances make up
more than 15 percent of the GDP for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti.
Therefore, if we are going to reduce the budget in terms of foreign
aid to these countries, it is important that we do not allow the
collapse of these countries. It will not only bring economic collapse,
but we know it is very likely to bring political anarchy and political
disruption, as well, to countries that are instable as they are,
countries where we are looking to bring stable democratic governments.
Ensuring that individuals are allowed to stay here in this country and
provide those remittances, provide the support that is necessary to
grow those economies, embed democratic ideals, will be most beneficial
to us and to ensure the stability of the Western Hemisphere at this
time.
Mr. Speaker, this is an imperative that is important to this country,
imperative to the United States, and we are grateful that we have had
this time to share this information with you, with the American people,
with this Congress. We are urging our colleagues, urging Members of
this Congress, to work with members of the Congressional Black Caucus,
individuals you have heard tonight, Mia Love, Cedric Richmond, Yvette
Clarke, Donald Payne, Val Demings, Barbara Lee, all the members of the
Congressional Black Caucus and others who urge that this support be
enacted not only by the Department of Homeland Security, but by this
Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House
Committees on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committee, I rise
today to express my strong objection to the announced intention by the
Trump Administration not to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for
Haiti, Honduras, and El Salvador.
On May 24, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) re-
designated Haiti for 6 months of Temporary Protected Status (TPS),
rather than the full 18 months requested by the Government of Haiti,
Haiti experts in the United States, and the Congressional Black Caucus,
among others.
DHS' decision did not reflect the realities on the ground in Haiti,
which include Haiti's food scarcity crisis, cholera epidemic, and the
ongoing challenges posed by the unprecedented 2010 earthquake.
In a letter sent this past Friday, November 3, 2017, the
Congressional Black Caucus urged DHS, once again, to fully extend
Haiti's TPS designation for 18 months by the November 23, 2017 deadline
in light of the aforementioned conditions in Haiti, as well as the
exarcerbated damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
In a report published in October 2017, the highly regarded Global
Justice Clinic concluded that conditions justifying Haiti's
qualification for TPS in 2011 remain as acute today as they were then.
The study also found that 40,000 Haitians uprooted by the 2010
earthquake are officially displaced and that many more likely remain
unofficially displaced in dangerously inadequate shelters.
The cholera epidemic that was tragically caused by international
efforts to aid Haiti in 2010 more than doubled following Hurricane
Matthew and is expected to directly affect more than 30,000 people by
the end of 2017.
Hurricane Matthew also exacerbated the food insecurity crisis in
Haiti, placing 2.4 million Haitians--22 percent of its population--in
the grips of an acute food insecurity crisis.
The Haitian government has been working diligently for years to
improve its economy, public health conditions, and infrastructure in
coordination with the United States government and international
community.
In order to accomplish this task, Haiti relies in large part on
remittances that its citizens receive from TPS beneficiaries in the
United States.
Therefore, the negative consequences of terminating Haiti's TPS
designation would be twofold.
It would end essential remittances that significantly contribute to
Haiti's recovery while also forcing the poorest republic in the Western
Hemisphere to absorb the cost of reintegrating thousands of citizens
all at once.
Such actions could be catastrophic to Haiti's recovery efforts and
run counter to Congressional efforts to improve American relations in
the region through the recently-passed United States-Caribbean
Strategic Engagement Act (Public Law 114-291).
Finally, it is essential to note that Haitian TPS beneficiaries
directly contribute to the United States.
They pay taxes, spend money, contribute to Social Security and
Medicare, and help promote American prosperity in numerous sectors,
such as the restaurant and food service, construction, and hospitality
industries.
About 30 percent of TPS beneficiaries are homeowners, stimulating the
real estate industry and contributing to the local property tax base.
Also, one in nine TPS beneficiaries in the labor force is self-
employed, meaning they not only create jobs for themselves, but also
create jobs for others.
A recent report found that the expiration of Haitian TPS would cost
the United States economy more $2.8 billion over a decade in lost gross
domestic product.
Mr. Speaker, we need to be both smart and compassionate when it comes
to extending TPS for Haiti.
The compassionate thing to do is extend TPS for Haiti.
But just as important, extending TPS for Haiti is the smart thing to
do because it strengthens the American economy and advances the
national interests of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I also join my colleagues in the Congressional Black
Caucus in drawing attention to the Republican Leadership's latest plan
to hurt the American taxpayers, especially those who did not support
the President during the election.
The Republican tax cut would result in the biggest increase in the
deficit by any President in the history of the United States, likely
growing it by the annual sum of $1 trillion from now on.
Some may wonder if the President would stoop to punishing people
because they did not vote for him--I would point them to the Republican
Tax Proposal and say the answer is found in the 429 pages of H.R. 1,
the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
[[Page H8520]]
Americans who send their children to private school will be able to
do so--at the expense of taxpayers who send their children to public
schools courtesy of the Republican tax cut plan.
The Republican Tax plan amends Title 26 of the United States Code
Sec. 529 that deals with Qualified tuition programs.
The Code was intended to encourage persons to attain higher education
and provide incentives for persons who pursue doctorates.
Most people know that going back to school to obtain a degree is a
difficult choice to make with full time jobs and family obligations.
Having a degree can substantially increase income and provide choices
that would otherwise be unattainable to the recipient of advanced
degrees.
The benefit to the economy and our nation's leadership in the
sciences rests with the number of people who attain undergraduate and
graduate degrees.
The Republicans have gone into this section 529 of the tax code and
extended the tax write-offs to those sending their children to K-12
private schools.
Other ways the Republican Tax bill hurts taxpayers who pursue college
educations for themselves or their children.
Repeal of Lifetime Learning Credit;
Repeal of the Student Loan Interest Deduction;
Repeal of the qualified tuition reduction;
Repeal of educational assistance program;
Termination of private activity bonds; and,
Creation of a new excise tax on endowments at private colleges and
universities.
The Republican leadership of the House is also causing problems for
private sector investments in Colleges and Universities.
The tax bill threatens tax write offs for donations to colleges and
universities and will limit tax credits associated with university-
industry partnerships.
The Republicans claim that their Child Tax Credit proposal would help
working families, but it simply does not do enough.
The House tax plan proposes a nonrefundable $600 increase in the
Child Tax Credit (CTC), and would make more families earning six
figures eligible to claim the CTC.
This proposal wouldn't help the women who need it most.
In addition, whatever benefits this CTC proposal would provide pales
in comparison to those that would be received by the wealthy and
corporations under this tax plan.
The bill cuts taxes for major corporations who already pay far less
than their fair share.
Republicans claim that economic growth will more than pay for the
lost revenue but we've tried this before.
When trickle-down economics fails again and this bill explodes the
nation's deficit, Republicans will call for huge spending cuts to
critical programs that hardworking Americans depend on to make ends
meet.
The plan's negative impact on the Lone Star state would be
particularly hard.
Independent analyses show the Republican plan would actually raise
taxes on about 1.5 million Texas households, or 12.4 percent of
households next year.
On average, families earning up to $86,000 annually would see a
$794.00 increase in their tax liability, a significant burden on
families struggling to afford child care and balance their checkbook.
According to the IRS, 23 percent of tax filers, or 2.8 million Texas
households, deduct their state and local taxes with an average
deduction of $7,823 in 2015.
The Ryan-McConnell plan eliminates this deduction, which would lower
home values and put pressure on states and towns to collect revenues
they depend on to fund schools, roads, and vital public resources.
Placing further strains on middle-class Texans is the elimination of
the personal exemption, which deducts $4,050 for each taxpayer and
dependent on a return from taxable income.
In 2015, roughly 9.3 million dependent exemptions were claimed in the
Lone Star State.
The GOP's reckless and irresponsible tax plan is made all the more
obscene by its disproportionate and immoral handouts to the wealthiest
few.
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy,
millionaires in Texas, 0.31 percent of filers in 2015 would receive
almost 57 percent of the benefits from the tax plan.
Texans deserve a tax plan that puts working and middle class families
first, not more deficit-exploding tax cuts for millionaires and
billionaires.
We need bipartisan tax reform that creates jobs, fuels economic
growth, and puts more money into the pockets of hard-working American
families.
A recent Pew Research Center report found little support for cutting
taxes for high-income households, which is defined as more than
$250,000 or large businesses and corporations.
In fact, 43 percent favored raising taxes on high-income households
and 52 percent said corporate taxes should be raised.
The Republicans persist with their scheme of raising taxes on hard-
working middle class families to pay for tax cuts for the rich.
It is reckless to explode our deficit which according to the Tax
Policy Center, would skyrocket by $2.4 trillion over the first decade.
The wealthy must pay their fair share, but the GOP tax scheme offers
them a free lunch at the expense of those who are most in need of a
helping hand.
The power of the purse rests with the House of Representatives and it
is our job to make sure that the American People are treated fairly.
____________________