TOMORROW: Heller Gives Maiden Senate Speech on Issue He’s Completely Ignored as Senator - Jobs

Unelected Senator has focused his time on killing Medicare, protecting taxpayer giveaways to big oil

 

Las Vegas, NV – Apparently he appreciates irony.  Tomorrow, unelected Senator Dean Heller will give his maiden speech in the United States Senate on the issue he has completely ignored since being appointed to the Senate – jobs.  In fact, since being sworn-in to replace John Ensign, Heller has spent his time on anything but jobs -- repeatedly voting to kill Medicare by turning it over to private insurance companies in order to pay for taxpayer giveaways to the big oil companies that bankroll his campaign.  Indeed, one of Heller’s first votes as an unelected Senator was to maintain taxpayer giveaways to big oil.

  

“One speech will not change the fact that rather than focusing on getting Nevadans back to work, Dean Heller has spent his time in the Senate voting repeatedly to kill Medicare by turning it over to private insurance companies so he can pay for more taxpayer giveaways to the big oil companies that are funding his campaign," said Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Zach Hudson.  "Instead of giving a speech and playing to the cameras, Dean Heller should stop trying to pull the rug out from under Nevada seniors and start doing something that will actually put people back to work.”

  

Heller’s Record as a Senator:

Heller Voted Against Motion To Proceed To Consideration Of Legislation That Would Repeal Billions In Tax Breaks For Big Oil Companies In Order To Reduce The Federal Deficit. In May 2011 Dean Heller voted against the motion to proceed to the consideration of S. 940, the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act. The legislation is described as “A bill to reduce the Federal budget deficit by closing big oil tax loopholes, and for other purposes.” According to the Las Vegas Sun, the legislation would “save about $2 billion a year over the next decade.” [S. 940, Vote #72, 5/17/11; Las Vegas Sun, 5/17/11] 

Heller Voted for House GOP Budget Blueprint Drafted By Paul Ryan. In May 2011, Heller voted for a motion to proceeds to the House Republican budget blueprint drafted by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). The House-passed Republican budget plan would address the debt problem by making sweeping cuts to the federal budget, while overhauling Medicare and other federal entitlement programs for future seniors. The motion was rejected 40-57, with five Republicans voting no. [Washington Post, 5/25/11; Vote 77, 5/25/11]

Heller Said He Planned to Campaign on the Republican Budget. According to the Review-Journal, Heller “said he plans to vote for it and to campaign on it as a strategy to regain control of spending, reduce the deficit and spark economic growth.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/05/11]

In May 2011, Heller Said He Was Proud To Be The Only Member of Congress Who Will Get to Vote for Budget Twice. “I’m not worried about it. I voted for it once. I’m not going to come over here and vote against it,” Heller said. “I’m proud to be the only member of Congress who will get to vote for it twice.” [AP, 5/03/11]