WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), along with 59 House Democrats sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi urging them to not use Medicare as an offset for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).
The letter was also signed by Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Brendan F.Boyle (D-PA), Robert A. Brady (D-PA), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), David N. Cicilline (D-RI), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Bonnie Coleman (D-NJ), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Gene Green (D-TX), Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Michael M. Honda (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Henry C. "Hank" Jr. Johnson (D-GA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Dan Kildee (D-MI), John B. Larson (D-CT), Brenda L. Lawrence (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Richard M. Nolan (D-MN), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), José E. Serrano (D-NY), Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), Mark Takai (D-HI), Mark Takano (D-CA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL).
The full text of the letter is below and a signed copy can be seen here.
Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi:
We write to urge you to fund a more robust Trade Adjustment Assistance program that is not offset by cuts to critical social programs like Medicare.
American workers rely on Trade Adjustment Assistance when trade deals send jobs overseas. While it is clear we need Trade Adjustment Assistance, it is not clear why the offset should be extended budget limitations on Medicare, as proposed. More than 50 million seniors rely on Medicare; we should be investing in the trust fund, not using savings to fund other programs.
We ask that the current Trade Adjustment Assistance legislation change in two ways. We should find an offset to Trade Adjustment Assistance that does not cut from critical programs that working families rely on. We should also increase funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance to account for projected job losses due to big trade deals, and extend assistance to public sector workers who have lost their jobs.
Trade Adjustment Assistance supports displaced workers and Medicare provides America's seniors the healthcare they need. We look forward to working with you to fund a Trade Adjustment Assistance program that leaves no one behind.
Sincerely,
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