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[Video: Engel talks about his opposition to the debt limit deal.]
Earlier today, the U.S. Senate voted in favor of a budget agreement that would allow the nation to raise its debt ceiling while making trillions of dollars in cuts to government spending programs. Last night, the Republican-controlled House approved the same plan and President Obama is expected to sign it immediately before the country starts defaulting on its debt obligations.
While Democrats were split evenly between yays and nays, the three Bronx representatives, all Democrats, in the House – Jose Serrano, Eliot Engel and Joe Crowley (who’s more of a Queens guy than a Bronx guy, but he still counts) – all voted against the deal.
Each said the plan would unfairly burden middle class Americans and eat into the nation’s social safety net, while allowing the ultra-rich and large corporations to get off easy.
Serrano summed it up best: “My constituents will not benefit in the slightest from this package—and in fact will suffer from its effects. They work hard, and pay their taxes, and should not see the social safety net that they rely on slashed solely to preserve low tax rates for billionaires. On their behalf I voted ‘no’ on this senseless package, which will do nothing to create jobs or help the economy grow.”
Crowley echoed his colleague: “I cannot support a plan that gives millionaires and billionaires, corporate jets or big oil a free pass.”
See Engel’s thoughts in the above video.
What do you think? Click on the comments section below and let your voice be heard.