Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) said on this week’s broadcast of “Fox News Sunday” that “none of the things in the bill are Democratic priorities” while discussing the debt ceiling deal.
Anchor Shannon Bream asked, “As you heard the Speaker there, he says your Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats are mad because there is nothing for them in the bill. What do you make of it?”
Himes said, “That is right, Shannon. There are two problems with the bill. Number one is none of the things in the bill are Democratic priorities. You know the priorities because in the last two years, we capped insulin at $35, passed biggest infrastructure investment in our country, we addressed climate change. Those are priorities, and not a single one are in the bill.”
He continued, “That is not a surprise, given we are now in the minority. But the obvious point here, and speaker didn’t say this, the reason it may have some traction with Democrats, it is very small bill. It is a very, very small bill. Now had the bill looked anything like what the Republicans passed on the floor where the rescinded money designed for electric battery in this country and drug prices, I would have been against it. The IRS money is a good example. Why the speaker wants to defend taking IRS police off the beat so more people can cheat on their taxes is beyond me. Eighty billion sent in that direction over a period of time, a small fraction has been rescinded.”
He added, “But it is a small enough bill in the service of not destroying the economy. It may get the votes.”
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