Taxing and spending was the theme this week for Nevada’s Republican representatives in the House and the Senate.  Democratic Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid focused on saving Nevadans money on their health care.

Senator Harry Reid

Dec. 18: Nevada Senator Harry Reid today discussed the health insurance reform bill being considered in the U.S. Senate as one that will save lives, save money and save Medicare. Nearly 200 people in Nevada lose their health insurance each day and too many file bankruptcy because of health care costs. "This bill will be really good for Nevada. Everyone in Nevada who has health insurance will be paying $1,600 less each year because of this bill," said Reid. In addition, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will strengthen and expand Medicare for seniors, and provide tax breaks for businesses so they can afford coverage for their employees. For the full length video of Reid’s remarks visit wwww.senate.reid.gov

Senator John Ensign

Dec. 15: Washington, D.C. – Senator John Ensign today voted in support of Senator Mike Crapo’s (R-ID) motion to send the Democrats’ healthcare reform bill back to the Senate Finance Committee with the instructions that all taxes on middle-income Americans be eliminated, as President Obama had promised on the campaign trail. The amendment failed 45 to 54.

“The President made a pledge, he made a promise,” said Ensign.  “He promised that he would not raise taxes on middle-income Americans.  Unfortunately, Democrats in the Senate are not upholding this promise and have, instead, littered their healthcare reform bill with tax increases for these very Americans.  This is not right.  Senator Crapo’s motion would uphold the President’s pledge and carve out these taxes for middle-income Americans.”

Most of the nine brand new taxes in this legislation violate the President’s promise and leave middle class families with the bill.  The purpose of the Crapo Amendment is to inject honesty into the healthcare debate and hold Congress to the promises that were made to the American public. 

 Congressman Dean Heller

Dec. 16: Today U.S. Congressman Dean Heller (R-NV) led the opposition on increasing the statutory debt limit by nearly $300 billion (H.R. 4314).  Below is the text of Heller’s floor statement. 

Here we are again.  Christmas is a week away and Congress is scrambling at the last minute just so we can go home.  While Americans are doing last minute holiday shopping, the majority party is doing its last minute spending.  This year many families are cutting back their holiday shopping.  Average holiday spending by Americans has dropped to $343 dollars per person from $372 dollars a year ago.  You would think that during these tough times when most Americans are forced to tighten their belts, that Congress would also.  Not a chance under this majority.  This majority stumbled into 2009 with a budget that raised the deficit by $1.8 trillion.  Then Congress decided to pass an $800 billion stimulus bill, $3 billion on Cash for Clunkers, a trillion dollars on a Cap and Tax bill, $1.3 trillion on the Democrat health care bill and recently another $447 billion was spent on Washington D.C. bureaucracies.  After all this spending, the national debt is now more than $12 trillion dollars.  Every American citizen will now owe more than $39,000 to pay for Washington’s spending.  Now Democrats want to raise the debt limit to allow even more spending in 2010.  The real “fat cat” is the federal government which spends, spends, and spends while the American public gets stuck with the bill.  I urge my colleagues to reject raising the debt limit and give the gift that American deserves…a responsible federal budget.  Merry Christmas everyone.  I yield back the balance of my time.  

Heller’s speech can be seen on his congressional website and at http://www.youtube.com/CongressmanHeller.