Following is DeFazio’s statement:

"The Republican majority is getting ready for Thanksgiving just like many Americans. Earlier today they slaughtered the turkey. They chopped student loans, school lunches, foster care, long term care, and Medicaid for struggling families.

"Now they’re preparing to serve a huge portion with gravy and trimmings through generous new tax breaks for those who earn more than $300,00 a year.

"But here’s the dilemma on the Republican side of the aisle— do they put the bird back in the freezer until Christmas and hope that the struggling students and families forget what was taken from them to help those who warn over $300,000 a year? Or do they serve the tax break turkey for Thanksgiving? Stay tuned to find out."

The Republican "budget reconciliation" plan passed by two votes at 2 AM this morning. The bill cuts about $50 billion in funding for vital programs such as student loans, school lunches, child support enforcement, and Medicaid to allow room for $70 billion in tax cuts for the wealthiest among us (those who earn over $300,000 a year). The purpose of a "budget reconciliation" plan is to make slight changes in spending at the end of the year to balance the budget. However, with the tax cuts, the budget plan still adds $20 billion to the huge and growing deficit.