[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 42 (Monday, March 6, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Appropriations

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, so, this Thursday, President Biden will 
release the third budget proposal of his Presidency, one of the most 
important chances all year to emphasize the contrast between Democrats' 
and Republicans' vision for the country.
  When Americans see President Biden's budget proposal and compare it 
to the nasty plans coming from Republicans, the contrast will be 
glaring and unmistakable.
  First, President Biden's budget will focus on creating opportunity 
for average Americans. He will keep his promise not to raise taxes for 
anyone making less than $400,000 a year. He will show how Democrats 
will keep Medicare solvent for another two decades. And he will lay out 
a plan--a realistic, serious plan--for lowering the deficit by $2 
trillion over the next 10 years.
  Republicans love to talk about cutting the deficit, but Democrats 
have actually done it. The Inflation Reduction Act lowered the deficit 
by hundreds of billions of dollars, and we cut the deficit while also 
cutting prescription drug costs and expanding tax credits for millions 
of middle-class families.
  Now, compare President Biden's budget to the nasty vision laid out by 
our Republican friends. While the President's budget will keep taxes 
and costs low for the vast majority of families, Republicans went on 
record wanting to raise taxes by 30 percent for millions of Americans 
through their recent national sales tax proposal.
  While the President promised no new taxes for people making under 
$400,000, the very first bill House Republicans passed helped rich tax 
cheats get away with paying little or nothing in taxes. And while 
President Biden and Democrats have been clear that Social Security and 
Medicare are not on the table, Republicans have proposed raising the 
retirement age and privatizing certain elements of Medicare. The 
result: fewer benefits for retirees, higher premiums for Medicare 
beneficiaries.
  We cannot overlook the threat Republicans also pose to Medicaid, 
which tens of millions of middle-class Americans rely on to ease the 
burden of paying for nursing homes and assisted living. Democrats want 
to preserve and strengthen Medicaid, but Republican proposals would cut 
Medicaid by $2.2 trillion and end coverage for millions of Americans. 
That average middle-class family--let's say they are 40, 50 years old, 
and they are worried about paying for the kids' college, but they also 
have a parent in a nursing home. Right now, Medicaid would pay for it 
if the parent doesn't have the resources. With these cuts, that burden 
will fall on tens of millions of American families in the prime of 
life.
  Finally, the President will make clear that in order to strengthen 
Social Security and Medicare and to lower the deficit responsibly, the 
ultrarich must pay their fair share. There is no--no--conceivable 
scenario where wealthy CEOs should ever pay a lower rate than nurses 
and teachers and firefighters, but that is precisely how Republicans 
preferred it when they cut taxes for the ultrarich under Donald Trump.
  It is as if Republicans care more about making sure the rich stay 
rich than they do about building ladders to the middle class, than they 
do about keeping middle-class people in that position.
  Now, when President Biden called out Republicans for targeting Social 
Security and Medicare, they erupted with feigned outrage during his 
State of the Union. But, to this day, Speaker McCarthy and House 
Republican leadership have failed to present their own plan to the 
American people.
  Speaker McCarthy, it is now March 6. Where is your plan? Speaker 
McCarthy, where is your plan? The President is about to release his 
budget. Are you going to release yours anytime soon? Enough with the 
dodging. Enough with the excuses. Show us your plan, and then show us 
how it is going to get 218 votes on your side of the aisle.
  Americans deserve to see for themselves what Democrats and 
Republicans propose for the future of the country. Republicans should 
come clean with the American people about what cuts they are pushing 
and explain how those cuts will cause unnecessary pain for millions of 
Americans across the country.