Hoyer Statement on Republicans' Partisan Tax Reform Framework
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after the Trump Administration and House and Senate Republicans unveiled their partisan tax reform framework this morning:
"The Republican tax outline released today is a textbook example of how not to do tax reform. It speaks volumes about their intentions that Democratic Members were not even invited to participate in discussions about how to reform our tax code. That House Republicans took the day off for a retreat in Washington to discuss how to pass tax cuts for the wealthy, while millions of Americans in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are looking to Congress for immediate help and with the Children's Health Insurance Program set to expire in just three days, is deeply irresponsible.
"Across the board, Americans agree that our tax system ought to be simpler, fairer, and encourage economic growth and competitiveness. There is also broad consensus that, to be successful, any serious tax reform effort must be permanent, enacted through a bipartisan process not limited by the rules of budget reconciliation. Middle-class families sitting around the kitchen table need a predictable tax code to plan for higher education, homeownership, and retirement; businesses need it so they can make long-term investments in facilities, hiring, and research and development. Today's outline makes those decisions harder, not easier.
"The Republican tax outline cannot legitimately be called a plan. Neither is it anything new: it is the same irresponsible tax cuts they have pushed for years, repackaged and rebranded. What had been one page of bullet points is now a nine-page brochure that leaves out any pretense of promoting fiscal sustainability by subscribing to the oft-repeated fantasy that tax cuts somehow pay for themselves. Furthermore, it benefits those who are already advantaged the most by our country's economic strength while shortchanging middle-class families who have dutifully played by the rules and are working hard to get by.
"Sustainable tax reform requires that Democrats and Republicans work together. Making our tax code simpler is no simple task; indeed, it remains one of the most complicated challenges we face – and it is one that we must tackle together. If done right it will yield benefits to our economy for generations."