President Biden is blasting Republicans’ recently unveiled legislative blueprint, calling it a “thin series of policy goals” that offer “little or no detail” on what the GOP intends to pursue should they win the majority in Congress this fall.
Speaking at a Democratic Party fundraiser hours after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy unveiled his party’s policy proposal, Mr. Biden criticized Republicans for “opposing and obstructing” his administration while offering little in return.
“Let’s take a look at what Kevin said today,” Mr. Biden said. “He said Republicans want to ‘preserve our constitutional freedom.’ That sounds great. I’m all for doing that as well.”
“But look at what they’ve actually done,” the president said. “The ’MAGA Republicans’ just cheered and embraced the first Supreme Court decision [on abortion] in our entire history… that just didn’t fail to preserve a constitutional freedom, it actually took away a fundamental right that had been granted by the same court.”
Mr. McCarthy of California was joined by dozens of Republican colleagues in unveiling the GOP’s “Commitment to America” earlier Friday, offering a plan the lawmakers say is inspired by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 1994 “Contract With America.”
The agenda includes policies designed to mitigate inflation, reduce federal regulations, shore up public safety and tackle illegal immigration.
Republicans also vowed to make the country energy independent, arguing that doing so will help bring down high gas prices they’ve blamed on Democratic policies.
Near the top of the to-do list is investigating the Biden administration on a wide range of issues, including the politicization of the Justice Department.
This year, House Republicans are expected to win control of the chamber. Republicans need only a net gain of five seats to take the majority.
Lawmakers said their proposals were developed through public input across the country. They heard from local attendees in the town hall-style rollout of the agenda.
Democrats have painted the GOP as being extreme and beholden to former President Donald Trump.
In addition to railing against Republicans on abortion, Mr. Biden seized on what he called Republican attempts in Congress to roll back Medicare and Social Security.
He also mocked GOP calls for safer communities, accusing Republicans of being “insurrectionist” in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, voting against legislation to fund local police departments and calls within the GOP to defund the FBI following the raid on Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
“The MAGA Republicans control the Republican Party right now,” Mr. Biden said. “That’s self-evident. So there’s a lot at stake here.”
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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