Washington, D.C. - Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke before the Rules Committee about how Speaker Pelosi is putting this country on a highway to socialism to achieve her sweeping change and once-in-a-century moment to fundamentally change America, just as President Biden jets of to Europe.
Speaker Pelosi is putting this country on a highway to socialism to achieve her sweeping change and once-in-a-century moment to fundamentally change America. pic.twitter.com/f2YfqRayx4
- CathyMcMorrisRodgers (@cathymcmorris) Oct. 28, 2021
Excerpts and highlights from her prepared remarks:
“The audacity of this sham process is breathtaking - passing trillions of dollars in massive government, government-knows-best proposals with an extremely limited opportunity for public debate.
“We just received the text an hour ago. Speaker Pelosi just finished writing it with her backdoor deals.
“Clearly there isn’t a final agreement between the Democrats, so I’m sure it will drastically change again.
“Trillions of taxing and spending with no regard for how much money the federal government prints.
“Isn’t that convenient?
“But it’s dangerous and cruel to our children and grandchildren who will have their future limited by selfish political goals."
SOCIALISM
“This process - writing this agenda behind closed doors- is a complete abuse of power, but as we know, there’s no limit to Speaker Pelosi’s tyranny.
“It’s deceitful.
“It’s not the will of the people despite Speaker Pelosi saying ‘whether they know if or not, people overwhelmingly support it.’ We don’t even know what’s in it.
“Speaker Pelosi is putting this country on a highway to socialism to achieve her sweeping change and once-in-a-century moment to fundamentally change America, just as President Biden jets of to Europe.
“This is where this scheme leads: blackouts, unaffordable electricity bills, tax hikes, jobs destroyed, no hope to cure diseases, long lines of the sick begging the government for lifesaving treatments, and weak American defenses against our adversaries like China and Russia.
“Is this really the future we really want? For more command and control of the federal government in our lives?
“This will hurt our global competitive edge and makes America less safe.
“Inflation is an ugly tax on every part of people’s lives - from the gas pump to the grocery store.
“This Thanksgiving is going to be the most expensive ever.
“I will submit that this grand socialist agenda that destroys freedom and emboldens our enemies is not how we win the future. This is not how America wins the future."
SOCIALIZED HEALTH CARE
“The bill reported by E&C puts us on a path to socialized medicine that will destroy patient choice, increase costs, and lead to worse health outcomes for Americans.
“By federalizing the Medicaid program, which I believe is a very important safety net, the Democrats are destroying the very foundation this program was built on - state run, federally supported, and intended to help those most vulnerable.
“It is a giant step towards Medicare for All and will leave behind the people Medicaid was designed to help.
“This federal power grab will also kick almost three million Americans off their employer sponsored insurance.
“If you like your plan, you won’t be able to keep it under the Democrats’ bill.
“Medicare is already going bankrupt, with the most recent Medicare Actuaries’ report estimating it will be insolvent by 2026.
“Instead of working with Republicans to address this issue, the Democrats are planning on further raiding Medicare, as they did in Obamacare, which will drastically worsen this impending crisis and threaten millions of Americans’ health insurance.
“A radical proposal that forces low-income women to choose a health insurance plan that covers abortion or go uninsured and would use taxpayer funding to pay for abortions in the Federal Medicaid Program.
“Thankfully, a bipartisan group of Energy and Commerce Members defeated Speaker Pelosi’s radical government drug price control scheme during our markup.
“I sincerely hope this Committee does not bring back these disastrous policies that will destroy American innovation in developing life-saving cures.
“It also discriminates against people who have disabilities or debilitating diseases and puts the government in charge of your life and death."
RUSH TO GREEN
“In addition, the inexcusable rush to pass this reckless bill is motivated by President Biden’s desperation to have something to hold up to the celebrities and radical activists in Glasgow next week to show America is taking quote ‘action.’
“He should ask the British People how their big bet on offshore wind is paying off with a crisis of record high energy prices.
“He should ask the Germans if they feel more secure after shutting down their nuclear plants, becoming dangerously reliant on natural gas supplied by Russia.
“He should ask every European country if they’ll be able to keep their lights on and their homes heated this winter.
“After nine months of this administration’s war on American energy, we are already seeing these same crises emerging here, with record high gas prices, an unreliable grid, and Americans across the country concerned about keeping their homes heated and lights on this winter.
“The bill reported by E&C will lead America down the dangerous path Europe has chosen, leaving us less secure, less prosperous, and more dependent on our adversaries like Russia and China.
“The Natural Gas Tax will crush families who are already worried about being able to heat their homes.
“Your handouts to the rich to buy electric vehicles will make new cars even less affordable.
“Your subsidies and regulations to promote unreliable renewables like wind and solar will destroy jobs across the country that are already struggling and will enrich the Chinese Communist Party who is using slave labor to manufacture the essential components."
PROMISE OF AMERICA SLIPPING AWAY
“Despite all of this - I continue to believe in the Promise of America.
“As I know we all do - Republicans and Democrats who were all duly-elected to serve.
“My hope is that will come together, lead, and bring hope and healing to our communities.
“Let’s not let the promise of America - for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all slip away.
“Now, is the time to abandon this partisan scheme. Let’s get back to the People’s work - not Speaker Pelosi’s agenda."