“I refuse to spend more money on weapons of war and tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy at the expense of children in Pennsylvania, Gaza, and Israel when what is needed now is investment in the American families, de-escalation of violence, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid.”— Congresswoman Summer Lee
Editor’s Note: The following is a press statement released by Congresswoman Summer Lee and posted to social media about Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) voting ‘No’ on Republicans’ proposed cut to the IRS to “pay for” the $14 billion weapons spending-legislation that would cost taxpayers a total of $90 billion. Lee released the following statement responding to Republicans’ plan to exploit the war in Israel and Palestine to make it easier for large corporations and billionaires to cheat on their taxes, urging Congress and the administration to heed the lessons of the 20-year war on terror and prioritize diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and meeting the needs of the American people through tax fairness.
Congresswoman Summer Lee’s statement:
“The only thing crueler than spending billions of US taxpayer dollars on weapons that will result in the deaths of thousands more innocent Palestinian children in Gaza, is exploiting that war, exploiting the death of over 1,400 Israeli mothers, fathers, grandparents, children and hundreds more hostages – to help corporate CEOs and billionaire. donors cheat on their taxes. It is unconscionable.
“Just yesterday, the Israeli government bombed a refugee camp full of civilians in Gaza three times. I refuse to spend more money on weapons of war and tax breaks for the Ultra-wealthy at the expense of children in Pennsylvania, Gaza, and Israel when what is needed now is investment in American families, de-escalation of violence, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid.
“Pennsylvanians deserve to know that Republicans’ want to waste $90 Billion American tax dollars on weapons and tax evasion for billionaires, knowing that would be enough to end hunger and replace every lead pipe in America, including Western PA, where we just learned that 37 school districts have lead in their drinking water; enough to eradicate student debt or expand Medicare to 7.3 million more people while providing universal school lunch, or provide universal child care while ensuring access to affordable housing for 450,000 veterans nationwide, or end homelessness in America and ensure every combat-injured veteran in the country can collect the full amount of their retirement and disabilitv compensation (for the next 10 years) with enough money left over to reclaim every abandoned mine in Pennsylvania, and all the toxic rivers and streams in Pittsburgh, and repair every deficient bridge in Pennsylvania so that dangerous bridge collapses like the one that occurred at Fern Hollow in Pittsburgh one year ago this Friday don’t happen again.
“Unlike the CEOs of Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Amazon who under Republicans’ cruel proposal would double dip on profits from weapons contracts and tax breaks moms forced to send their kids to school hungry, young folks who can’t pay off their debt, veterans who are struggling to get by after being sent to fight in endless wars don’t have million dollar lobbying budgets to exploit war to get a free pass to cheat on their taxes. Now is the moment for every Progressive in Congress to stand up for them.”
“These folks I represent want peace, safety, and security for their own children–and for children in Israel, Palestine, and across the world. It’s up to us to work for them.” “Republicans’ cruel plan to exploit a horrific war to help their billionaire donors cheat on taxes would cost American taxpayers $90 billion. That’s enough to end hunger + homelessness or eradicate student debt or provide universal childcare + veterans housing.”
