Golden Announces Support for Inflation Reduction Act

WASHINGTON — In a Medium post addressed to his constituents, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced that he will vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act later today. The congressman’s vote today follows his votes against both previous Biden Administration budget bills, the American Rescue Plan and the Build Back Better Act.

“Over the past 18 months, the Biden Administration has sought to use the reconciliation process to advance massive, deficit-financed spending packages, from the American Rescue Plan to the extended debate around and ultimate failure to pass the Build Back Better (BBB) Act.

“In considering each of those proposals, I hewed to a set of principles that guided my decision-making. Absent an emergency, like we experienced in early 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19, any major budget legislation should be targeted both in its scope and in its design, focusing on doing a few things well and ensuring that the individual policies are focused on those most in need. It should be fiscally responsible and, whenever possible, aim to reduce our national debt, particularly in the midst of an inflationary environment caused in part by the first of these reconciliation bills. In addition, it should focus any changes to the tax code on the corporate giants who for years have exploited loopholes to pay little or no taxes while passing on massive windfalls to shareholders.  And it should finally deliver on key priorities lawmakers have been promising to seniors for years – namely, lowering prescription drug costs. 

“Time and again, reconciliation legislation that has come before the House has failed to meet many if not most of these conditions. As a result, I have voted not once, not twice, but three times against massive reconciliation packages designed by the Biden Administration. I have taken those positions not out of reflexive opposition but to consistently deliver the kind of representation to my constituents that I pledged I would bring to Congress: to stand up to anyone, regardless of party, in order to defend their interests and what’s best for the country.

“After many fits and starts, and due to the willingness of a few Democrats in Congress, like Senator Joe Manchin, to stand against the poorly-targeted and fiscally irresponsible agenda put forward by the Biden Administration, Build Back Better and its many iterations are dead. What has emerged, the Inflation Reduction Act, is an entirely different approach that is focused on making hard choices, doing a few things well, and investing in the long-term health of our economy and the predictability of the policies that help shape it. 

“Today I am announcing my support for this common-sense legislation. It is fiscally responsible and is targeted on four key priorities: reducing the national debt and putting our country back on a fiscally responsible path, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and making health care more affordable, investing in an all-of-the-above energy strategy to significantly increase oil, gas, and renewable energy production to lower energy costs for Americans, and cracking down on the tax avoidance of billion-dollar multinational corporations.” - Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan organization of leading budget policy experts, recognized Congressman Golden for his role in bringing about the legislation: 

“The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget recognizes and appreciates Representative Golden’s contribution to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Rep. Golden deserves credit for his commitment to pushing for deficit reduction and keeping out fiscally irresponsible and regressive SALT provisions. This bill reduces the deficit more than any law in over ten years. In addition, it benefits the people of Maine by helping the Federal Reserve to tamp down inflation. We applaud Representative Golden for supporting this important legislation.” - Maya MacGuineas, President, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

You can read the congressman’s message to his constituents in its entirety on his Medium page here. 

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