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Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a fact sheet today on the important role Medicaid plays in fighting the opioid crisis and how TrumpCare would reverse the progress we have made so far. The fact sheet follows last week’s Joint Economic Committee hearing on the economic impacts of the opioid crisis.
I am deeply concerned that the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the third time in six months. Job and wage growth have yet to return to many parts of the country. Today’s decision will make workers struggle to realize income gains.
The opioid epidemic was the subject of Congress’s Joint Economic Committee hearing last week. New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, is the ranking member of that committee. He spoke with KUNM about the hearing and the prospects for behavioral health in the Republican health care replacement bill.
Democrats on the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee studied the energy efficiency sector to determine its impact on economic growth. The researchers found that the two federal programs, Energy Star and the Weatherization Assistance Program, contribute to job growth and make it easier for customers to invest in energy efficiency products and upgrades. In his fiscal-year 2018 budget proposal, Trump called for the elimination of both Energy Star and the Weatherization Assistance Program. These programs enjoy bipartisan support and provide strong benefits to residential and business customers across the country, especially in rural areas where Trump won the presidency with a large majority of votes.
Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a report today on energy efficiency and the important role it plays as a component in the clean energy economy. This report follows President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, impacting millions of Americans who are employed in the clean energy economy. The report outlines how the application of energy efficiency technologies creates well-paying jobs, lowers government spending, saves consumers and businesses money, increases competitiveness for businesses, and reduces carbon emissions. Congress must now invest in projects and research that foster job growth and the expansion of the energy efficiency economy.
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, delivered the following statement at today’s hearing entitled “Economic Aspects of the Opioid Crisis.” In his opening remarks, Ranking Member Heinrich highlighted the impact of Medicaid cuts to substance abuse treatment and mental health care in the House Republicans’ TrumpCare bill.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee, said President Trump’s policies have hurt job growth. “After more than 130 days in office, President Trump has yet to show us he is serious about creating jobs and raising wages across the country. Rather, he has pushed for policies that will only hinder economic growth: a disaster of a health care plan that will kick millions off their health insurance, a budget that threatens working families, and reckless practices by his administration that only endanger the economic security of every American while he benefits,” Heinrich said.
Infant care in Wyoming costs $9,110 a year, below the national average of $10,476, according to the report, released by Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat and the ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee. Wyoming families spent 13 percent of their income on infant care. For a single mother, infant care e ats up 30 percent of her income on average, the report states. Nationally, 15 percent of a family’s income and 42 percent of a single mother’s income is spent on child care.
“After more than 130 days in office, President Trump has yet to show us he is serious about creating jobs and raising wages across the country,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee. “Rather, he has pushed for policies that will only hinder economic growth: a disaster of a healthcare plan that will kick millions off their health insurance, a budget that threatens working families, and reckless practices by his administration that only endanger the economic security of every American while he benefits," Heinrich said. Still, job gains averaged 121,000 over the past three months, well above the 80,000 needed to lower the jobless rate.
After more than 130 days in office, President Trump has yet to show us he is serious about creating jobs and raising wages across the country. Rather, he has pushed for policies that will only hinder economic growth: a disaster of a health care plan that will kick millions off their health insurance, a budget that threatens working families, and reckless practices by his administration that only endanger the economic security of every American while he benefits.