Early this morning, the GOP Energy and Commerce Committee Leadership released a draft reconciliation text that would gut clean energy programs and healthcare for millions of people, while giving handouts and free passes to oil and gas companies. In response, Sunrise Movement Executive Director Aru Shiney-Ajay issued the following statement:
“Republicans just proposed cutting thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in clean energy funding, and billions of dollars in healthcare funding from their own districts. Why? Because Big Oil and healthcare CEOs told them to.
This is not how a democracy should function. This is oligarchy in action.
Young people fought tooth and nail for the funding now on the chopping block. We walked hundreds of miles, slept outside Senators’ offices, and even went on a hunger strike outside the White House, because we knew these programs were our best shot at building a livable world and an economy that works for our generation.
Republicans developed this legislation behind closed doors, and they’ve sat in silence for minutes during hearings to avoid answering the questions constituents want answered. Their silence speaks volumes. They are refusing to answer for the people they claim to represent because they have no answer for their corruption.”
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Newswire Editor.