CONTACT: Chase Tarrier, Public Policy Coordinator,
End Domestic Abuse WI
[email protected], 608.237.3985
Madison— Advocates for victims of domestic violence all across Wisconsin are raising their voices in opposition to the Senate’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which could be scheduled for a vote in the US Senate today. With reports showing that the proposal will raise the deficit by over $1 trillion and lead to 13 million more people without health insurance over the next 10 years, advocates see passage of the proposal as a major threat to the health and safety of survivors and their children. Advocates also expressed concern about future cuts to critical domestic violence prevention funding streams like the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) as well as social safety net programs like Medicare, Medicaid and many others that victims of violence rely on every day.
“As if $1.5 trillion added to the deficit just to line the pockets of the wealthiest Americans isn’t bad enough, this tax bill poses a threat of major cuts to programs that are absolutely vital to the work advocates do to protect and empower victims in our state,” said Patti Seger, executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin. “By providing huge tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy on the backs of middle and low income citizens while simultaneously kicking 13 million people off their health insurance over the next ten years, supporters of this proposal are showing us exactly where their priorities lie. If passed, this bill would be a huge step backwards for the safety and autonomy of survivors in Wisconsin, and we are calling on Senator Ron Johnson to oppose it on behalf of domestic violence victims everywhere.
“Whether it’s the higher taxes on low and middle income families, repealing key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) leading to millions more uninsured or future cuts to social safety net programs like Medicaid and Medicare, this bill would be a disaster for domestic violence victims, particularly those that are already struggling to get by,” said Seger. “We hope our elected leaders will reconsider this tax break for the ultra-wealthy and corporations and instead look for ways to support the most vulnerable Americans, including domestic violence victims.”
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that the proposed Senate tax legislation would negatively impact individuals in the lowest income brackets, affecting those who make less than $30,000 per year by 2019, while most of those making under $75,000 would be negatively affected by 2027.
