Inhofe, Lankford vote against economic package

“Democrats under Joe Biden have spent trillions, creating the worst inflation in over four decades, and now their answer to this disaster of their own making is to tax us into a recession,” Inhofe said.

“Yet again, their response to current spiraling inflation caused by their out-of-control spending spree is to raise taxes on small businesses and middle-class Americans, spend more money on their ‘Green New Deal’ agenda and impose government-run price controls on prescription drugs that will thwart future medical innovation — a dangerous recipe for worsening inflation and sending us into an economic downturn. I had to vote against this radical proposal today,” he said.

“Leftists are cheering this reckless and irresponsible bill which is quite clearly the most far-left legislation in American history,” Inhofe said.

“This proposal could put more than 100,000 American jobs at risk and inflict a severely disproportionate economic disaster on natural gas producing states, like Oklahoma.

“Raising taxes on job creators in the oil and gas sector, wasting more taxpayer money on subsidizing the liberal coastal elite’s electric vehicle purchases and hiring over 80,000 new IRS agents to target America’s middle-class will not provide relief to American families at the gas pump, the grocery store or when paying their mortgage. This legislation will undoubtedly contribute to higher bills for every American. Period.”

Likewise, Lankford issued a statement: “A bill that increases taxes on American businesses, adds a new gas tax, hurts our oil and gas companies, hires thousands of additional IRS auditors to target all incomes, gives multimillion-dollar tax breaks to benefit Tesla, and raises the costs to heat our homes, will not reduce inflation.

“Americans face record-high inflation because Democrats are obsessed with finding ways to pass the Green New Deal, hand out new subsidies, and raise taxes. They refuse to accept the reality that Americans are not happy with the economy. This bill doesn’t reduce inflation; it doesn’t reduce our nation’s out-of-control deficit; it gives the federal government unilateral control over which drugs will come to market, forcing drug companies to launch at higher prices; and it will hurt our energy future. I am absolutely opposed to the damage this bill will do to our economy and Oklahoma families,” Lankford said.

Democrats held united on the measure, 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.