Escobar Explains Vote on Bipartisan Budget Agreement

Texas Representative Veronica Escobar (D) recently released a statement explaining why she voted to pass the Bipartisan Budget Agreement.

“Today I voted to pass the Bipartisan Budget Agreement to put an end to the political games Republicans are playing with our economy and the livelihood of millions of American households,” said Rep. Escobar.

Rep. Escobar criticized the Republican-led bill, known as the Limit, Save, Grow, Act of 2023, and discussed the possible cuts that would have happened had the bill passed the Senate.

“This bill is a compromise that Democrats sought in place of the devastating H.R. 2811, the Default on America Act, that House Republicans passed last month to address the debt limit by cutting federal spending on Social Security, health care, housing, our veterans, student loans, and more, while adding punitive restrictions to Medicaid, SNAP and TANF.”

Despite the passing of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, the Texas lawmaker focused on the bad effects of having a split House and Senate.

“Today’s Bipartisan Budget Agreement is a reflection of the realities of a divided government through which Republicans lay bare their cruel priorities for America - a refusal to close tax loopholes for the ultra-wealthy paid for on the backs of working families,” said Rep. Escobar.

The Texas politician continued saying that Republicans wanted “a commitment to make Federal assistance programs like SNAP and TANF inaccessible to those who need them most, and an urgency to provide fossil fuel handouts to Big Oil while clawing back the hard-fought environmental protections Democrats have secured over the years.”

The Texas congresswoman claimed that the crisis was exaggerated and created by the Republican members of the House.

“House Republicans manufactured a crisis and used the full faith and credit of the United States as a bargaining chip. These priorities and precedents are deeply troubling to me."

Rep. Escobar continued to accuse Republicans of causing the crisis.

“Once again, it’s Democrats saving our economy from House Republicans, who are falsely touting themselves as the heroes in this situation. You can’t call yourself a firefighter when you started the blaze.”

The Texas representative lauded President Joe Biden’s (D) efforts in getting the bill passed.

“I'm proud of the President's steadfast leadership in avoiding a Republican default, protecting critical benefits Americans have earned like Social Security and Medicaid, and safeguarding the historic investments of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

Texas Representative Pete Sessions (R) introduced new healthcare legislation, the Health Care Fairness for All Act. The bill also known as H.R. 3129 is intended to reform the health care system.

“My Health Care Fairness for All Act gives Americans more control, lower prices, and less hassle by: Reforming federal health tax subsidies, Offering a tax-advantaged health savings account. Removing barriers between patients and doctors,” said Rep. Sessions.