U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent letters to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee demanding full and open committee hearings to thoroughly and rigorously examine and debate the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spend proposals. Daines believes Montanans deserve a transparent and thorough process to fully vet these massive tax and spending initiatives, which could impact all Montanans from farmers and ranchers to small business owners.
“The Senate Finance Committee’s jurisdiction comprises a broad set of federal programs and policies with significant everyday impacts on all Americans. Legislation as unprecedented as the Democrats’ rumored proposal should be fully vetted and afforded appropriate opportunity for debate,” the letter to the Senate Finance Committee Chairman states. “Such a procedural scheme would circumvent standard Senate practice and would deviate from the Administration’s stated goals of bipartisanship, cooperation and openness. If Senate Democrats insist on moving forward with this reckless, partisan proposal and procedure, we request that you at least act to protect the rights and jurisdiction of the Finance Committee and its members by not allowing for the marginalization of the Finance Committee through this reconciliation process.”
“We ask that you hold hearings with outside witnesses and commit to a regular-order business meeting where all of the Committee’s members are given the opportunity to amend, debate, and vote on this legislation. The committee process plays a crucial role in the functioning of the Senate and the American people deserve to have all legislators – regardless of party – engage in a serious and thoughtful discussion about the needs of our nation as well as the costs and burdens to the taxpayer resulting from this legislation,” the letter to the Senate Banking Committee Chairman states.
Daines is a member of both Committees which have jurisdiction over many of the tax and revenue measures, federal programs, monetary policies, banking policies and small business policies that the Democrats will be including in their proposal.
Read the letter to the Senate Finance Committee HERE.
Read the letter to the Senate Banking Committee HERE.
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Contact: Katherine McKeogh, Katie Schoettler