Congressman Tony Cárdenas Statement on the Omnibus Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Here we go again.
Once again, Republicans, who control everything in Washington, D.C., have brought the country to the brink of a shutdown.
They’ve recklessly rushed a two-thousand, two-hundred and thirty-two page, $1.37 trillion spending bill, endangering Americans because we don’t know exactly how our tax dollars will be spent.
I voted NO because:
There is nothing in this bill that will fix healthcare for the American people. Right now President Trump and Republicans have been sabotaging working families’ ability to afford quality health care, and Republicans refused to include provisions in the bill that would reduce premiums by up to 20%. Unless Congress acts quickly and responsibly, premiums will continue to rise and fewer plans will be available to American families.
I voted NO because:
This bill spends $1.6 billion of American taxpayer money for a border wall that Trump promised Mexico would pay for. The bill sets our country back by $400 billion, denying American citizens jobs and higher wages, all by failing to secure a place for Dreamers.
I voted NO because:
Vladimir Putin interfered in our country’s presidential election. This bill should have provided safeguards to protect Robert Mueller so he could complete his investigation. It does nothing to assure the American people that Congress will allow him to get to truth. And so far, Robert Mueller has been doing his job. Several people have already pleaded guilty, and even President Trump’s campaign chair has been indicted on 32 counts of fraud and money laundering. President Trump wants to fire Mueller, so we have to do everything we can to ensure he is able to complete his investigation.
I’m determined to do everything I can to protect our democracy, American families, seniors and our veterans. This bill fails to do that. And that’s why I voted no.