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RepMikeQuigley uploaded a new video
(3 weeks ago)
Speaker: The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
Rep. Mike Quigley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my amendment would create a simple...
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Speaker: The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
Rep. Mike Quigley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my amendment would create a simple CBO-sponsored website where taxpayers could learn how much they would be contributing to major federal spending programs under consideration by Congress. Similarly, it would allow taxpayers to learn how much their taxes would increase or decrease under any major tax legislation being considered by this Congress.
The fact is that we don't do a good enough job of communicating with our constituents. There's too much misinformation out there, and good information isn't accessible enough to Americans without connections to Washington. Try digging through a government website and you'll see the difficulty.
My staff gets calls all the time from constituents who are having trouble finding good information about our budget and our tax code. My amendment would take a significant and necessary step towards increasing transparency and accountability.
If Congress wants to pass a major new spending program, the tax and the cost to the taxpayer should be made transparent. If Congress wants to pass a tax increase, the costs to the taxpayer should be transparent. And if Congress wants to pass a tax cut, taxpayers should know exactly how they, or someone in their tax bracket, would benefit.
Transparency is the best way to hold lawmakers in Washington accountable, and it's the best way to rein in out of control deficits. Our constituents have a right to this information, and we shouldn't skimp when it comes to transparency. I've been working on this taxpayer receipt idea since 2010, and 15 of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle have joined me in supporting similar legislation to this effect.
However, I also understand that the gentleman from Georgia is opposed to this amendment, which pretty much guarantees that it will go down in a blazing ball of Martyr-dom. And while I'm a Cub fan and my team hasn't won a World Series since before man-flight, I am realistic.
So I will offer to withdraw the amendment if the gentleman will commit to work with me to move this idea forward in a separate venue.
Thank you and I yield back.
Speaker: The gentleman yields back. What purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition?
Rep. Tom Price: I claim time in opposition. Am I to understand that the gentleman has withdrawn the amendment?
Speaker: He has not withdrawn the amendment yet.
MQ: Not formally, if I could.
Speaker: Not formally.
TP: Has the gentleman yielded back?
Speaker: The gentleman was yielded back.
TP: The gentleman is able to withdraw the amendment after he's yielded back.
Speaker: Yes he is, before the rule.
TP: I claim time in opposition.
Speaker: The gentleman is recognized for five minutes.
TP: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to commend the gentleman from Illinois for his amendment, but as we have had our staffs discuss, the amendment would truly mark a significant departure from CBO's historical mission, providing information to policy makers on fiscal and economic implications of the legislation. It would impose a significant new requirement on CBO to calculate the taxpayer benefit or cost of major legislation, something that, candidly, Mr. Chairman, the CBO lacks both the expertise and experience to be able to provide. So though it's commendable, I don't think it has the things to do with the underlying bill. I do believe there are some private sector solutions out there and look forward to working with the gentleman from Illinois, given that he has agreed to withdraw his amendment in the future, as we move forward to, again, to do something that I believe to be commendable, and that is to provide much more information for hardworking taxpayers as well. And given that he has agreed to withdraw the amendment, I yield back the balance of my time.
Speaker: The gentleman yields back.
MQ: Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to give the gentleman an opportunity to explain his point, I thank him for his willingness to work on this together. I now withdraw the amendment.
Speaker: Without objection, so ordered.
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RepMikeQuigley uploaded a new video
(3 weeks ago)
Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day.
In an effort to strip women of their right to choose, anti-choice groups have blocked access to life-saving cancer ...
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Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day.
In an effort to strip women of their right to choose, anti-choice groups have blocked access to life-saving cancer screenings.
The nation's leading breast-cancer charity, Susan G. Komen, announced it will no longer partner with Planned Parenthood -- the nation's leading women's health care provider.
This fight has pitted two of our nation's premier and important women's health care groups wrongly against each other.
We, on either side of the capitol and in these chambers, must remember that rhetoric has real-world consequences.
For the health of women across America, this issue must be resolved quickly, and the collaborative relationship between these two great institutions, restored.
Until then, lives are at stake, sadly, for political gain.
Thank you, and I yield back.
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RepMikeQuigley uploaded a new video
(2 months ago)
In its fifth year, the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program is working to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to send a touch of...
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In its fifth year, the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program is working to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to send a touch of home this holiday season to members of our U.S. military, veterans and their families, many of whom will be far away from home this holiday season. To send a letter to the troops, please visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail.
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Thank you.
Robert Kastigar (Albany Park)
Thank you,
Penny Stack (Lincoln Park)