Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that socialist proposals such as Medicare for All, student loan forgiveness, and the Green New Deal with a guaranteed job for all, are antithetical to American foundational values of self-responsibility and opportunity, and by guaranteeing these programs as "rights", we risk abandoning our actual rights.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that socialist proposals undermine the American founding principles of individual freedom and liberty and that the House should continue to focus on policies that promote self-responsibility and fostering opportunities through the free market and a healthy economy.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 675 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 675

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that socialist 
 proposals such as Medicare for All, student loan forgiveness, and the 
   Green New Deal with a guaranteed job for all, are antithetical to 
 American foundational values of self-responsibility and opportunity, 
 and by guaranteeing these programs as ``rights'', we risk abandoning 
                           our actual rights.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 31, 2019

  Mr. Walker (for himself, Mr. Brooks of Alabama, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. 
 Fulcher, Mr. Gaetz, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Murphy of North Carolina, Mr. 
 Williams, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Riggleman, Mr. David P. Roe 
     of Tennessee, Mr. Banks, Mr. Cloud, Mr. Hice of Georgia, Mr. 
 Rutherford, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Guest, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Emmer, Mr. 
  Crawford, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Spano, Mr. 
   Kelly of Mississippi, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Mr. 
Crenshaw, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Wittman, Mr. 
Davidson of Ohio, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Comer, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, Mr. 
Wright, Mr. Babin, Mr. Gooden, and Mr. Mullin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, 
 and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that socialist 
 proposals such as Medicare for All, student loan forgiveness, and the 
   Green New Deal with a guaranteed job for all, are antithetical to 
 American foundational values of self-responsibility and opportunity, 
 and by guaranteeing these programs as ``rights'', we risk abandoning 
                           our actual rights.

Whereas, on February 7, 2019, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and 
        Senator Edward Markey introduced H. Res. 109 and S. Res. 59, 
        respectively, resolutions recognizing the duty of the Federal Government 
        to create a Green New Deal;
Whereas, on February 27, 2019, Representative Pramila Jayapal and Senator 
        Bernard Sanders introduced H.R. 1384 and S. 1129, respectively, 
        legislation to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance 
        program;
Whereas several Democratic Presidential candidates have proposed tuition-free 
        college or wealth redistribution policies;
Whereas, in socialism, the value of States and municipal government goes away 
        and keeps government away from the people, instead favoring a 
        centralized ruling body;
Whereas increasing taxes for Americans to redistribute wealth would eliminate 
        the incentive for the American ingenuity which has made the United 
        States the most productive country in the world;
Whereas eliminating private medical insurance options for nearly half of the 
        population currently covered by employers and replacing it with a 
        government-run system would result in a decrease in the quality and 
        availability of care;
Whereas a guaranteed job for those who are unable or unwilling to work violates 
        the treasured principle of self-responsibility and merit-based 
        opportunity;
Whereas the late Charles Krauthammer defined the difference between political 
        rights and economic rights, likening political rights to examples of 
        free speech, worship, and freedom from government overreach, and 
        cultural and economic rights as social and economic services guaranteed 
        by the state;
Whereas the idea of social and economic rights creates a dependence on the state 
        for necessities and can begin to replace the importance of political 
        rights;
Whereas there is no form of socialism, whether extreme or modified, that has 
        worked in other countries due to civil unrest and economic hardship for 
        citizens;
Whereas the United States is a large robust country with enormous economic 
        capacity due to the ability of citizens to live unencumbered by 
        arbitrary taxes, fees, and mandates from the Federal Government; and
Whereas socialist proposals create government dependence for social services and 
        neglect the identity of American political culture and freedom: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the role of the United States Federal Government is to 
        provide opportunities to increase individual economic 
        opportunity and self-empowerment;
            (2) the proper role of the United States Federal Government 
        is governed and outlined by the United States Constitution;
            (3) current socialist proposals are working against the 
        defined role of government and abandon the values which make us 
        American;
            (4) capitalism is the pinnacle of American democracy and 
        economic freedom;
            (5) the aforementioned proposals promote socialism and 
        undermine the American founding principles of individual 
        freedom and liberty;
            (6) despite any flaw in our political system, our political 
        representatives in this compound Republic should be mindful and 
        committed to promoting individual responsibility and merit-
        based opportunity;
            (7) our belief is in the individual; government becomes 
        dangerous when power shifts from the individual to big 
        government and the collective state;
            (8) the United States House of Representatives promotes 
        capitalism and the free market as a way to empower Americans 
        across all walks of life to access economic opportunities and 
        political freedoms;
            (9) the United States House of Representatives should 
        continue to focus on policies which enrich the American 
        identity by promoting self-responsibility and fostering 
        opportunities through the free market and a healthy economy; 
        and
            (10) the Federal Government should only do things that need 
        to be done on the Federal level, like interstate commerce and 
        the collective defense.
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