Tax Reform Will Help Middle Class, Working Families and Small Businesses
‘Today’s announcement is an important step forward for that process as well as for our once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally rethink our tax code and deliver real relief. It’s been thirty years since we did that. It’s time to do it again.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need for tax reform:
“The Obama years were not easy for America’s middle class. For many, steady work became harder to find, paychecks stagnated, opportunities faded. America’s middle class deserves better after a decade of drift, and we’re working hard to deliver for them. Tax reform is the single most important thing we can do today to get the economy reaching for its true potential again.
“That’s why the Senate recently passed the legislative tools to advance it. That’s why the House recently did the same. And because we did, later today, after months of hard work, the House’s tax-writing committee will unveil its version of tax-reform legislation. I’d like to commend Chairman Brady and the members of the Ways and Means Committee for their hard work in unveiling this critical legislation today. This announcement is more positive momentum from our colleagues in the House, and I look forward to continued work with them moving forward.
“Here in the Senate, the Finance Committee will continue its work on tax reform legislation too. Both chambers are working on this at full-steam because we are committed to achieving our mutual tax reform goals for the middle class, working families, and small businesses. Our main goal is this: We want to take more money out of Washington’s pockets and put more in yours. This goal is shared by the American people. It is shared by the president and his team. It’s shared by Republicans in the House and the Senate.
“The goals of tax reform used to be shared by our Democratic friends too. Over many years, multiple Senate Democrats – including the Democratic Leader himself – have called on Congress to pass reform. But then, something changed — the president, it seems. Now we’re reading reports that our friends across the aisle plan to oppose any tax reform bill at all – regardless of what’s in it. It seems that Democratic leadership is praying that this chance to put more money in the pockets of the middle class fails.
“But why? To protect incentives that encourage companies to ship jobs overseas? I thought they were against those. To prevent working families from keeping more of what they earn? I assumed we all were for that. According to recent news reporting, Democrats apparently want to tank tax cuts for the middle class because it might give them a political leg-up. In other words, it seems this is some kind of game to them. So I certainly hope what we read isn’t true. I certainly hope Democrats will take note of the fact that their latest false talking point about tax reform just got debunked today too.
“This effort is way too important for any of that. I hope our friends will decide to work with their colleagues in a serious way instead. That’s what their constituents sent them here to do. That’s what their constituents deserve after the last decade of economic disappointment. So there’s no reason for our Democratic friends not to work across the aisle in a serious way to help shape this critically important effort.
“I would like to thank Chairmen Hatch and Brady for their commitment to tax reform and regular order. Through the committee process, members on both sides of the aisle will have the opportunity to offer input as the tax reform effort moves forward. Today’s announcement is an important step forward for that process as well as for our once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally rethink our tax code and deliver real relief. It’s been thirty years since we did that. It’s time to do it again.”
Related Issues: Economy, Taxes, Tax Reform
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