Richard Neal

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, my constituent company, Merriam-Webster, declared this week that the word of the year is ``slop,'' and it is appropriate today. This bill won't lower costs. Without the ACA tax credits, costs are going to skyrocket for the American people. That is a bombshell report. They are undermining protections and forcing people into junk plans. The only path forward is Leader Jeffries' discharge petition. It is a 3-year extension, clear and clean, bipartisan. Mr. Speaker, I urge Speaker Johnson to bring this legislation up, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, the destruction that is taking place in America's healthcare system during these 10 months is unbelievable. They have eviscerated the National Institutes of Health. They have cut back on the Centers for Disease Control and billions of dollars for Medicaid for a tax cut for the wealthy. Wait till you see what is coming to America's hospitals after the next election. It is so contrived they waited until after the election to implement it. Mr. Speaker, 24 million people are likely to lose health insurance if we don't implement these tax credits as suggested. The emergency room is going to be back in full force now because this is where people will go for their healthcare. All of this is taking place to justify a tax cut for people at the very top. Here is the real kicker: Our Republican colleagues of fiscal probity borrowed the money for the tax cuts. In 2017, it was $2.4 trillion. In the last tax bill, almost $4 trillion is borrowed for a tax cut for wealthy people. Whatever happened to the fiscal soundness that the Republican Party used to lecture everybody on.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, let's look at the numbers: 15 million people are about to be kicked off their health insurance because of the big, ugly law; 24 million Americans are going to pay higher premiums, in some cases, up to 75 percent. I am in opposition to this Republican plan because they would rather shut down the government than bring costs down for the American people. Everything costs more. Unemployment is on the rise, and it is only going to get worse because of their healthcare premiums rising by up to 75 percent. Let's say it again: Republicans would rather shut down the government than bring down healthcare costs. Two months ago, they found it possible to permanently extend tax cuts for the super wealthy and the biggest companies that were all scheduled to expire. They have turned their backs on the American people, but they found time once again to cut taxes for people at the very top. My friend, the budget chairman, said before that Democrats have added to the debt. Is there anybody on their side right now that is willing to stand up and say that in 2017 they didn't borrow $2.3 trillion for their tax cut? That is what I thought. Is there anybody willing to say that they didn't add $4 trillion to the debt with the last measure they passed called the big, ugly bill? Trillions of dollars being borrowed for a tax cut, and the bill is so popular, what they did with that legislation, it is so popular, at the White House right now they are trying to figure out how to rebrand it. We have already branded it. It is the big, ugly bill that is going to penalize middle-class Americans. We have the highest healthcare premium increases in 15 years. Prices are up. Unemployment is rising, and the Trump economy with their tariffs are failing the American people who need it the most. This morning, Democrats are not going to be party to these attacks on the American people. We have a simple plan here. Let's extend these healthcare benefits. We can move on to the next legislative business in terms of the regular order. The American people know this morning Democrats have their backs, and we intend to defend their health insurance plans.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable milestone in our Nation's history, the 50th anniversary of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site (NHS). Established during the Revolutionary War in 1777 as the ``Arsenal at Springfield,'' the site was recommended to George Washington by General Henry Knox for its strategic location along the Connecticut River and its proximity to four major roads that connected to New York City, Boston, Albany, and Montreal. The Arsenal at Springfield played a critical role in the war effort, both manufacturing cartridges and gun carriages and storing muskets, cannons, and other weaponry. In January 1787, the Armory was the site of Shays' Rebellion, an uprising led by American Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays in response to economic hardships faced by farmers after the Revolutionary War. Thousands of Shays' Regulators marched on the Springfield Armory, hoping to seize its weaponry and force a change of government. The rebellion directly influenced the delegates at the Constitutional Convention later that year, with James Madison citing it as a warning for the need for a stronger federal government. The Springfield Armory was officially established by George Washington in 1794 and played an essential role in shaping America's military and industrial strength. For nearly two centuries, the Armory provided the tools necessary to defend our Nation and served as a hub of innovation and craftsmanship. In 1974, the site was officially designated a National Historic Site and was entrusted to the stewardship of the National Park Service. Once the home of our Nation's first armory, the Springfield Armory National Historic Site is now home to the world's largest historic U.S. military small arms collection, commemorating the innovative craftsmanship and ingenuity that enabled the production of the most superior firearms for nearly two centuries. Thousands of visitors come every year to not only marvel at this collection, but also learn about the region's rich history and its critical role in the founding of our Nation. On Saturday, August 16, 2025, the Springfield Armory NHS will host a community-wide celebration on the scenic grounds of the Springfield Armory and Springfield Technical Community College to mark this historic occasion. This free, family-friendly festival will honor five decades of preserving the rich military, industrial, and social legacy of the Armory. I commend the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Superintendent Fellner and her team, and our entire western Massachusetts community for honoring the past and enriching the present. Here's to another fifty years of education, inspiration, and connection through this treasured historic landmark.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes) in paying tribute to Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts, who tragically lost his life here in Washington. Eric was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts, a proud graduate of Granby Public Schools, and a young man of great promise. He came to Capitol Hill eager to learn, contribute, and serve the people and this great institution, only motivated by idealism and a commitment to public service. Through his determination and intellect, he accomplished all of that. Those who were close to Eric speak of his thoughtfulness, curiosity, and noteworthy commitment to learning about his government. He loved archery, fishing, and the great outdoors, but surely it will be his character that is remembered most. To his parents, Tamara and Robert; his siblings, Angela and Jeremy; and all who loved him, including his best buddy Hunter, our deepest condolences on behalf of the United States of America. May his memory be a blessing for all of us.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. Mr. Speaker, we might have visited a lot of places. Tonight, or this morning, I should say, why don't we visit reality. Here is the reality because we are going to talk about facts for the next 15 minutes on our side. One thing you can understand very clearly is that the Republicans in the House surrendered to the Republicans in the Senate. Once again, when the going got tough, both institutions surrendered to the President. This bill became worse along the way when it was already a pretty bad product. In terms of expertise, let's reject what the Congressional Budget Office says. Let's reject what the Joint Committee on Taxation might have to say. Of course, when the going gets tough, let's blame the Federal Reserve Board because of interest rates. Under this bill, here is a fact, Mr. Speaker: If you made $1 million last year, you are going to make an additional $96,000 in the next tax- filing season. That is a fact. Yet, here is the real fact and the scam that is being presented to the American people with this legislation: If you made under $50,000 last year, you are going to get 68 cents a day in terms of your tax relief. The Senate was too generous. They were at 73 cents, so the House Republicans wanted to go back to 68 cents. Here is the real kicker: For a party that has preached fiscal rectitude that I have listened to all of my years here--all of my years here--voting for the balanced budget amendment, taking up all of these pursuits in terms of fiscal rectitude, they are borrowing an additional $5 trillion to pay for a tax cut for the wealthiest amongst us. Mr. Speaker, $5 trillion is being added to the debt. I call attention to that because they are taking away health insurance for poor people. Hospitals are going to suffer. Medicare is going to be cut. The child credit will leave out the poorest, and seniors are threatened with losing many of the necessities of everyday life. SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and the ACA are all about to be gutted in the name of a tax cut for the wealthiest amongst us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the very distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I remind the gentlewoman that in 2017, the Republican Party borrowed $2.3 trillion for that tax cut. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Salinas).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I can't wait for the Republican Party to meet that waitress who is making $32,000 a year and tell her in this tax bill the Republican Party just gave her 68 cents more a day because that is the reality of what this tax bill is about. We could also say in the next breath, if you made a million dollars last year, you are going to get $96,000. This is a fact-free argument. They are making this argument that the person at the bottom is going to do well in contrast to the person at the top. There is simply no factual basis to that. By the way, the party of fiscal rectitude is borrowing $5 trillion to pay for a tax cut for the wealthiest amongst us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the distinguished minority whip.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), our Democratic leader.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I think it is fair to say the leader has done his part. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.