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Armstrong Votes Against Advancing Democrats’ Radical Agenda

November 5, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) released the following statement after voting against the Senate amendment to H.R. 3684 - Senate Infrastructure Bill. This bill paves the way for Democrats to pass their $1.75 trillion tax and spend spree, H.R. 5376.

"From day one, Democrats have made it clear that the infrastructure bill and their partisan reconciliation bill are linked. One won't pass without the other. Together, they are an at least $3 trillion social engineering project that will increase taxes, cause consumer costs to explode, and usher in more government control over the lives of Americans. North Dakotans sent me to Congress to fight out of control spending and rein in our national debt. We cannot continue to spend money we don't have and saddle future generations with the consequences of reckless spending," said Congressman Armstrong.

Background on the Senate amendment to H.R. 3684 - Senate Infrastructure Bill

Some of the items included in the infrastructure bill are:

  • Paves the way for Democrats to pass their $1.75 trillion tax and spend spree.
  • $1.2 trillion in total spending and $550 billion in new spending;
  • CBO only shows $180 billion in pay-for offsets, roughly equating to a $400 billion shortfall;
  • Includes $66 billion for rail and $39 billion for public transit;
  • This comes after transit already received $70 billion in COVID relief last year;
  • Includes $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations and $70 billion in investments for transmission and battery storage;
  • This bill lacks significant reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the lengthy and costly project review process. Without reforms to NEPA, much needed improvements to our roads, bridges, and highways will continue to be delayed and weighed down in bureaucratic red tape; and
  • Only $110 billion of the new spending in this package goes towards roads, bridges, and major projects that the American people generally consider "infrastructure".

Background on H.R. 5376 – Socialist Tax and Spending Spree

Some of the items included in the $1.75 trillion tax and spend spree are:

  • $80 billion to double the size of the IRS;
  • $400 billion in small business tax hikes;
  • Natural gas tax that would cost 90,000 American jobs;
  • Grants mass amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants; and
  • Raises the state the Federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT, from $10,000 per year to $72,000 per year for five years, providing wealthy taxpayers with tens of thousands of dollars per year in tax benefits. This proposal will cost roughly $300 billion through 2025, with roughly $240 billion going to those making over $200,000 per year.

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