Representative Adriano Espaillat Votes Against Default On America Act
Extreme MAGA Legislation Will Devastate Everyday Americans
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) voted against the Default On America Act. This extreme MAGA Republican legislation presents Americans with a terrible choice: either House Republicans will wreck our economy or inflict cruel cuts that hurt everyday people.
“Congress must pay our bills and prevent a devastating default on our debt. But House Republicans are threatening to wreck our economy unless they can force cruel cuts that hurt families in New York’s 13th congressional district, which is exactly why I voted against the Default On America Act,” said Rep. Espaillat. “My fellow House Democrats and I are ready to act now to prevent a default on our debt, continue our historic deficit reduction, and responsibly invest in America to lower costs and create better paying jobs. It is time for extreme MAGA Republicans to stop the political games and save our economy.”
By refusing to act now to prevent a default, House Republicans are threatening an economic disaster that will devastate everyday Americans. In New York’s 13th congressional district, an extreme MAGA Republican default on our debt would:
* Kill 7,500 jobs as unemployment doubles;
* Threaten the retirement savings of 94,600 people near retirement;
* Put Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs health benefits at risk for 419,000 people; and
* Jeopardize Social Security payments for 82,000 families. But the Default On America Act is no alternative. In New York, the extreme House Republican scheme would:
* Put over 1.2 million people at risk of losing Medicaid coverage;
* Threaten access to food assistance for 54,000 people aged 50-55;
* Eliminate preschool and child care for at least 17,000 children;
* Increase housing costs for at least 67,300 people; and
* Make college more expensive for nearly 400,000 students.
House Democrats have already cut the deficit by historic levels and President Biden’s budget reduces deficits by $3 trillion more over the next 10 years while investing in America – lowering costs by making child care, health care, and housing more affordable, supporting better schools, and strengthening our infrastructure.
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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.
Media inquiries: Candace Person at [email protected] |