United States Capitol police arrested 11 protesters on December 4 after they flooded the hallways, staging a sit-in outside the offices of Republican lawmakers who voted in favor to rewrite the U.S. tax code.
“Kill the bill!” and “Tax the rich, not the sick!” the protesters chanted, refusing to leave.
“Relief for the sick and spent, not just for the one percent.”
The demonstrators assembled outside of Pennsylvania Congressman Brian Fitzgerald’s office after he joined 227 of his Republican colleagues to support the House’s version of the tax bill in November.
Fitzgerald’s own constituents were among those arrested, according to News2Share.
Demonstrators made it clear the fight to kill the bill is not over as numerous arrests were being made in the crowded hallways.
Protesters also targeted Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Ryan Costello and Virginia Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, as well as other Republican representatives who voted in favor of the tax plan by visiting their offices and telling their staffers the massive tax rewrite would impact them and their families.
Both Comstock and Costello will be up for re-election in 2018.
Capitol Police began making the arrests, leading demonstrators away in handcuffs, at about 2:30 p.m. outside of Costello’s office while protesters shouted “Kill the bill, Costello!”
The Senate passed its version of the bill in the middle of the night on December 2, a Saturday, after finalizing their proposal five hours earlier.
Democrats objected, pointing out that no hearings had been held and no expert witnesses were called to discuss the potential impact of the bill, which bipartisan experts say would raise taxes on middle-class families by 2027.
The House and Senate must reconcile their two versions of the bill in a conference committee, which was assembled on Monday.
Nine Republicans along with five Democrats from the House have been assigned to the panel.
The Senate is expected to send members later this week.
The committee’s goal will be to send one piece of legislation to President Donald Trump’s desk by Christmas after debating the two bills.
Opponents of the #GOPTaxscam hope continued pressure in the coming days and weeks will give them a chance to keep the bill from becoming law.
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Watch video of the arrests taken by News2Share below.
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