WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed Republican tax legislation which will add $1.5 trillion to the national debt. Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell spoke against the bill on the House floor before passage, and voted against the bill when it passed without any Democratic support.

Watch Rep. Sewell’s speech opposing the GOP tax bill in the House of Representatives

“The GOP tax bill that passed the House today is a giveaway for the wealthy paid for by America’s working families,” said Rep. Sewell. “Real tax reform should put working families first, make our workforce more competitive, and it should simplify the tax code in a fiscally responsible way. Today’s tax bill does the opposite. In Alabama, the bill will give the richest one percent a $4,450 tax cut, while the bottom 80 percent will see a $117 tax increase. In total it will increase taxes for an estimated 545,000 working families in Alabama. This bill is a raw deal for working families, and it cannot in good conscience be called tax reform. I am deeply disappointed that Republicans threw away this opportunity for bipartisan cooperation.”

“The GOP tax scam would add $1.5 trillion to the national deficit at the same time Republicans are refusing to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) without finding a budgetary offset. In my state, the CHIP program is called ALL Kids, and it will stop enrollment on January 1^st if Congress fails to act. There should be no doubt in the minds of the American people – this tax bill is a statement of values, and it values wealthy individuals over working families.”

Rep. Sewell has written to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging Republican leadership to delay consideration of the GOP tax bill until Alabama’s Senator-elect Doug Jones is seated. Read Rep. Sewell’s full letter to Ryan and McConnell.

During markup of the Republican tax bill in the Committee on Ways and Means, Rep. Sewell offered three historically bipartisan amendments. All Democratic amendments, including the three amendments offered by Rep. Sewell, were rejected without a single Republican vote.

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Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) is serving her fourth term representing Alabama’s 7th Congressional district. She sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was recently appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Sewell is a Chief Deputy Whip and serves on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee of the Democratic Caucus. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and serves as Vice Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, and Vice Chair of Outreach for the New Democrat Coalition.