ICYMI: Republicans' Latest Tax Scam Puts Wealthy and Well-Connected Over Working Americans
Republicans' latest Tax Scam is ripped from their usual playbook: corporate tax cuts that disproportionately benefit big businesses and the wealthiest families while the most vulnerable Americans get left behind. Ways and Means Democrats offered amendments that would protect our climate goals, prioritize workers' needs, and prevent corporations from gouging Americans with junk fees. Republicans blocked these common-sense amendments, once again putting billionaires and big corporations ahead of America's seniors and working families. Read more from the Ways and Means Democrats Press Shop below:
Republicans Side with Venture Capitalists and Ultra-Wealthy to Block Targeted Relief to Small Businesses
Republicans just blocked an amendment from Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) that would limit millionaires and billionaires from raking in tax-free cash, while still encouraging early investment in small companies.
Congressman Beyer’s amendment put sensible guardrails on the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) Tax Benefit, yet every single Republican voted against it.
…guess this bill isn’t about small business tax cuts after all?
Find Congressman Beyer’s amendment HERE.
Who’s soft on China? Republicans. Build it in America? Not under the Republicans.
Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA)’s amendment to stop giving more research and development tax benefits to foreign businesses than American businesses was just blocked by Republicans.
Under the Republicans’ bill, foreign research gets more of a benefit than domestic research. When Ranking Member Neal pointed out the irony, after hours of their bemoaning Democrats’ climate investments benefiting China, Republicans didn’t bat an eye about their own.
This is a shame for home-grown research, and a major handout to China.
Ranking Member Neal’s amendment is available HERE.
It's Too Much to Ask for Prevailing Wages?
Democrats: “Learn from the mistakes of the past Republican corporate giveaways, and add guardrails to prioritize the needs of workers?”
Republicans: “No.”
Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA) just offered an amendment to put workers at the center of Republicans’ corporate tax cuts and they all voted NO. When businesses are receiving significant support from the federal government, the least we could expect is prevailing wages for workers.
Democrats included a prevailing wages work requirement in the Inflation Reduction Act, and in less than a year, nearly 150,000 good-paying jobs have been created.
Sadly, it’s more Republican lip service to workers, and more unfettered tax cuts to Big Corporations.
Find Congresswoman Sánchez’s amendment HERE.
Republicans are for junk fees, while Democrats are For the People
The tax code is used to shape and incentivize behavior, and today, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) stood up for Americans to protect them from the high and hidden fees that are routinely snuck into transactions, like the outrageous fees airlines charge for parents and children to sit together.
While we thought there was nothing that unites us quite like a dislike of junk fees, Republicans sided with price gouging corporations to shake every last dollar out of consumers.
Congresswoman Sewell’s amendment is available HERE.
Forget the air you breathe, Big Oil & Climate Denialism gets its moment in Ways and Means
We can’t be certain if our colleagues stepped outside last week, but it’s safe to say they aren’t afraid of the rising climate interruptions. Republicans pay for their corporate handouts to the wealthy and well-connected by stunting our nation’s climate goals and threatening renewable energy production, yet still manage to give a $10 billion handout to Big Oil.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR): “A vote for my amendment is a vote against providing $10 billion for Big Oil and is a vote for the future of the planet, our children, and our grandchildren.”
Spoiler: didn’t pique the interest of any Republicans :/
Find Congressman Blumenauer’s amendment HERE.
BREAKING: Republicans Reject Republican-Fix to SALT
Republicans just out right rejected the SALT Fairness and Deficit Reduction Act, written by their colleagues, Congressmen LaLota (R-NY), D’Esposito (R-NY), Lawler (R-NY), and Garcia (R-CA), and offered by Congressmen Pascrell (D-NJ), Thompson (D-CA), Larson (D-CT), and Schneider (D-IL).
We know it’s sensitive when off-Committee members tackle tax legislation…but haven’t they heard: “No SALT, no deal!”?
The amendment is available HERE.
So much for small government! Republicans double down on restricting women's health care
Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) put forth an amendment to defray the rising costs of accessing reproductive health care – we’ll spare you the suspense, Republicans voted it down.
Let’s not forget how we got here: this dramatic rise in health care expenses was CAUSED by Republicans’ extreme reproductive health restrictions. While some House Republicans might try to downplay their Conference’s escalating War on Women, this vote speaks for itself.
Find Congresswoman Chu and Congressman Blumenauer’s amendment HERE.