Wyden Opposes Tax and Trade Nominees, Blasts Trump’s Disastrous Economic Agenda
As Prepared for Delivery
This morning the Committee will vote on the nominations of William Kimmitt to serve as the Commerce under secretary for international trade, and Kenneth Kies to serve as assistant Treasury secretary for tax policy.
Should they be confirmed, they will play key roles in Donald Trump’s plans to implement the most destructive and damaging economic agenda in American history.
The past week I was back home holding town halls and meeting with some of Oregon’s world-renowned farmers, ranchers, and producers. The message from Oregonians is clear: Trump has left our workers and businesses in limbo.
They’re on a rollercoaster of economic uncertainty, questioning if they’ll still have a job by the end of the year, or be able to keep their business or farm afloat. Trump’s trade chaos is a wrecking ball for our country’s economy and businesses.
No temporary pause on tariffs changes the fact that Trump has started a trade war on a scale we haven’t seen in a century. The fact is, the damage has already been done.
Businesses are left with an uncertain economic future.
Our foreign trading partners are starting to discuss trade agreements that would exclude the United States and lock our producers out of foreign markets. And the stock market is still reeling from a historic collapse.
Trump has done irreparable damage to our economy and our status as a trusted global trading partner.
Meanwhile, Trump and Republicans are charging ahead with their plans to pass a massive bailout for billionaires. Paid for by kicking millions of people off their health insurance and gutting programs that kids and families rely on to stay safe and healthy.
That brings us to today’s nominees.
Trump has pushed the Commerce Department front and center to the trade and tariff debate. Mr. Kimmitt has been at the Commerce Department for a while now. If confirmed, he will be a key player in implementing Trump’s disastrous trade agenda.
Mr. Kies meanwhile, is fully committed to extending Republicans’ 2017 tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations. He will be key in orchestrating Trump’s tax and economic agenda, which amounts to nothing more than a boondoggle for billionaires.
In short, Trump has nominated Mr. Kimmitt to serve as a grim reaper for the middle class and Mr. Kies to turn the Treasury into an ATM for the ultra-wealthy. Just like the rest of Trump’s inner circle, these nominees have been hand-picked to carry out his dangerous agenda, families and businesses be damned.
So that’s where things stand as the Committee meets this morning.
Americans are facing economic chaos caused by a trade war nobody can win, and Republicans are poised to jam through another bailout for billionaires paid for by ripping away the lifelines millions of Americans count on.
There has been no discussion among Republicans of tackling the biggest economic challenges Americans are facing today. Democrats want to make health care more affordable. Create good-paying jobs. And make sure everyone pays their fair share.
You don’t have to look any further than Republicans’ planned bailout for billionaires and corporations to know their priorities begin and end with helping their friends and donors get richer while everyone else gets left behind.
If confirmed, Mr. Kies and Mr. Kimmitt will immediately get to work to help Trump implement his destructive agenda.
I will not support their nominations and urge my colleagues to vote no.
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