DeLauro Statement on Trump’s Address to Joint Session of Congress
WASHINGTON, DC (February 28, 2017) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding President Trump's first address to the Joint Session of Congress.
"President Trump made it clear tonight that his administration will work for Wall Street, corporations, and the wealthy, not for America's working families and the middle class. Despite his promises that he will fight for the everyday man and woman, President Trump is proposing policies that make it harder for people to achieve the American Dream.
"The Affordable Care Act serves millions of Americans and provides them access to lifesaving, affordable care. My Democratic colleagues and I will do all that we can to ensure that the ACA remains in place and we will fight any Republican attempts to take away lifesaving care from the American people. The GOP plan to repeal the ACA will benefit the wealthiest Americans, while working families will again struggle to find affordable, comprehensive health care coverage. While we are open to improvements, I strongly believe that Republicans will continue to push for a repeal of the law, as they continue to undermine it.
"The President spoke a lot about new investments in infrastructure, childcare, defense spending, and new education programs. If the President is serious about making investments in these programs, he would ask Congress to lift the sequester for both defense and nondefense programs and abandon his proposal to cut nondefense programs by $54 billion. Then we can make the critical investments in our country needs in programs like biomedical research, job training, and education programs.
"President Trump continues to claim that he will create millions of American jobs and make a strong investment in our nation's crumbling infrastructure. However, we have yet to see a concrete plan with details on how he plans to deliver on this promise. My National Infrastructure Development Bank Act would address the tremendous shortfall in infrastructure investment, create jobs, spur long-term economic growth, and improve our competitiveness across the globe.
"While President Trump again discussed immigration, he continues to spread harmful rhetoric and stoke divisiveness and fear. Rather than focus on the value and diversity that immigrants add to our nation, the President decided to assail them once again and elevate a select few cases. The President should focus less on his wall, and more on working with Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform that focuses on removing dangerous criminals, not breaking up families with raids.
"On the campaign trail, President Trump said that he would renegotiate NAFTA and fight for working Americans, yet he's already missed the deadline to start renegotiation in the first 100 days as promised. Middle class Americans need a real strategy from the Administration—not just tweets—on how we will lower the $500 billion trade in goods deficit and create good paying manufacturing jobs right here in the U.S. The Trump Administration has an obligation to pursue trade policy that puts the middle class first and I intend to hold him accountable for the promises he made during the campaign.
"Should President Trump and Republicans be serious about addressing the issues working women and men face, they should support policies like the Paycheck Fairness Act and FAMILY Act, two pieces of legislation that I champion in Congress. Women deserve equal pay for equal work with the guarantee that they can challenge pay discrimination and hold their employers accountable. And men and women should have access to paid family and medical leave, regardless of their gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. Anything less is the wrong path forward and I will strongly oppose any policies that do not meet these standards.
"President Trump expressed a desire to help working families afford childcare. Rather than giving tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires at the expense of the middle class, the President should enact legislation like my Child Tax Credit Improvement Act, which helps ensure that families have the resources to succeed. Increasing the value of the Child Tax Credit for families with a child under the age of six has the potential to positively impact a child's health, education, and future.
"And finally, President Trump should immediately drop any plans to re-issue an executive order banning refugees and immigrants from certain countries. Fadi Kassar, my guest at tonight's address, experienced firsthand the devastating effects of President Trump's ban when his wife and daughters were stopped from traveling to the U.S. Fadi, and countless others like him, came to America because they believe in the American dream and want to give his children the opportunity to grow up in a free and safe society. Suspending our refugee program, breaking up families, building a wall—these are symptoms of hatred and fear. These are not the principles that make us Americans. We can and we must do better."