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The Copper Courier: “Had the amendment from Schweikert passed, this funding would have been severely cut, and it would potentially put state and local infrastructure projects at risk.”
As Arizonans prepare for the holiday season, David Schweikert pioneered an amendment to slash billions of transportation, housing, and urban development dollars across the nation.
Schweikert’s “aggressive” move – voted down by Democrats and Republicans – would make draconian cuts to Arizona’s traveler safety and housing development for the elderly.
DCCC Spokesperson Justin Chermol:
“Ebenezer Schweikert would rather play politics than deliver for Arizona’s working families and elderly during the holiday season.”
The Copper Courier: Schweikert tries to slash popular roads, housing programs ahead of holidays
Camaron Stevenson | November 22, 2023
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As millions make plans to travel home for Thanksgiving, one Arizona congressman returns to his district after proposing a federal budget cut that would have made it more difficult to both travel safely and secure stable housing.
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During a United States House of Representatives floor debate earlier this month, US Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) proposed an aggressive solution to averting a government shutdown: cut nearly $18 billion in federal funding from the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Departments (THUD).
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“This is a brutal amendment,” Schweikert said on the House floor.
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Schweikert’s proposal, an amendment to a bill written in order to avoid a government shutdown, failed to pass, with 85 Republicans joining Democrats in voting against the measure.
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Democratic opponents have come increasingly closer to ousting [Schweikert] in recent years. His vote margin has shrunk from his height of popularity in 2014—where he enjoyed a 30-point lead—to 2022, where he bested his Democratic opponent Jevin Hodge by less than one percent of the vote.
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On abortion, an issue very present in the minds of voters in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, Schweikert has been vocal in his opposition. He praised the United States Supreme Court when they voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, and in 2017 voted to restrict federal funds from being used to cover the cost of abortion services.
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The proposed cuts to transit and housing come at a time when Arizona is making historic investments into both sectors. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs secured more than $150 million in the state budget for the Housing Trust Fund, which provides aid for rent and utility assistance programs, eviction prevention, and funding to build new shelters and affordable housing.
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State Republicans also secured $89 million in the state budget to expand a stretch of Interstate 10 between the Valley and Casa Grande, a sign that investments into road infrastructure and safety is a priority for both Republicans and Democrats. This is only a small portion of highway funding in Arizona, however, as 94% of costs for most transportation projects are paid for by federal funds.
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Had the amendment from Schweikert passed, this funding would have been severely cut, and it would potentially put state and local infrastructure projects at risk.
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