Friend,

I snapped this picture earlier today as I gathered with my Democratic colleagues on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Every Democrat showed up -- some even driving through the night -- in order to try and stop President Trump's disastrous tax bill.

As you may have seen, the Senate has now passed Trump's top priority: tax cuts for the ultra-rich, paid for by deep cuts to healthcare and food assistance. At least 12 million Americans will lose access to healthcare, including 86,580 folks who rely on Medicaid in Connecticut. It also puts 5 million Americans at risk of losing critical food assistance, including 800,000 kids. States across the country will face an impossible choice of allowing families to go hungry or cutting public safety and education spending.

Plus, this bill adds $3.25 trillion to the national deficit (you read that right), guts clean energy and hikes electricity bills, undermines gun regulations, jeopardizes almost 2 million construction jobs, and forces 1 in 4 nursing homes to close their doors.

This bill is among the worst pieces of legislation I've seen in Congress -- but don't just take my word for it. A few brave Republicans actually bucked the White House and stood up for their constituents. Senator Tom Tillis said the bill "breaks promises and will kick people off of Medicaid who truly need it." Senator Rand Paul refused to vote for "the largest debt increase in U.S. history." And even Senator Murkowski, who voted for the bill in a brazen quid pro quo, said she hopes it doesn't become law.

If there's any good news, this is it: we only need four brave Republicans to stand up and vote NO in the House.

Now is the time to pick up the phone and put some pressure on my Republican colleagues.

Here's the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.

I'll do everything I can here in Washington to stop this disaster from becoming law.

— Jim