Centrist Democrat Stephanie Murphy said Thursday she is prepared to vote against the Democratic $3.5 trillion infrastructure and social spending legislation at the committee level, citing a lack of details and clarity about funding.
HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE STARTS WRITING DEMOCRATIC $3.5 TRILLION SPENDING PLAN
“As we begin the multiday markup of this historic legislation, I do not know how much we are spending, how much we are raising,” Murphy said as the House Ways and Means Committee began considering portions of the legislative package Thursday. “We were given an artificial deadline in which to craft and mark up this bill, and I believe it was too rushed, driven by politics rather than policy.”
Murphy said the committee is still missing sizable portions of the package, whose legislative text is still being written. Last week, she and fellow centrists said that the text of the bill should be worked out ahead of time between both chambers and that members should be given ample time to review it.
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“I can’t properly evaluate the assessments, however worthwhile they appear in isolation, with incomplete information,” Murphy said. “I do not think it is asking too much to see this bill in its entirety before voting. I think especially when we are proposing to create or change programs that will affect my constituents at every stage of their lives. For this reason, and unless something changes, I have no choice but to vote no.”
