Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), today released the following statement after voting against the House Republican Balanced Budget Amendment:
“We don’t need to amend our constitution to balance our budget. We need responsible lawmakers who invest in our country instead of giving tax handouts to millionaires and billionaires. The American people need their leaders to create jobs, not more partisan budget gimmicks, like amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The failure of this legislation is a clear sign that Americans want action on reducing the debt, not just rhetoric. The so-called Balanced Budget Amendment may sound nice, but it would only make it harder to create jobs in bad times and slowour economic growth in good times. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this latest ploy by Washington Republicans would destroy 15 million American jobs, double unemployment, cut benefits for our nation’s veterans and decimate Social Security and Medicare for our seniors.
Instead of a plan to create jobs and rebuild America, Republicans offered yet another partisan scheme to distract from the real help our country needs. They should be making decisions based on sound policy, not sound bites.”
