WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, issued the following statement after the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction reported they would be unable to reach a debt deal by the November 23 deadline.
 
“Republicans would rather keep the temporary Bush tax breaks for billionaires instead of preserving Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security for Grandma and Grandpa. Congressional Republicans want to shred programs that millions of Americans depend on rather than end the $40 billion in Big Oil subsidies or cut wasteful programs from the bloated $700 billion nuclear weapons budget. I will oppose any Republican efforts to roll back the automatic defense spending cuts, while continuing to fight for programs that protect our nation’s most vulnerable.”
 
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