Contact: Ron Boehmer 202-225-2906
MADISON, WI – U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) today released the following statement regarding the House Republican tax plan, which was passed today in the House of Representatives. This legislation will now move on to the Senate, where Republicans plan to jam through provisions to strip approximately 13 million Americans of their care, in addition to giving a massive tax windfall for corporations and the wealthy.
“Speaker Ryan and House Republicans just voted to raise taxes on the middle class. Why? To give the wealthiest Americans and corporations a multi-trillion dollar tax giveaway. While I’m still recovering from my recent heart surgery, had I been in Washington, my vote would not have been a ‘no,’ it would have been a ‘hell no’.
“The GOP tax plan even makes the middle class pay for tax breaks for corporations that outsource their jobs to foreign countries. Rather than developing a plan that would expand economic opportunities and strengthen the middle class, Speaker Ryan and House Republicans are further rigging the economy against the American people.
“Republicans claim they are doubling the standard deduction, but in reality, they eliminated deductions like those for state and local taxes, student loan interest, and medical expenses, raising taxes on 36 million middle class households. Hundreds of thousands of Speaker Ryan’s own constituents rely on these deductions, including many that utilize the state and local tax deduction.
“Speaker Ryan was wrong to shove this tax plan through Congress in a two week span without holding a single hearing with those who will be most affected – the middle class. Today is not the end of the fight and I will do everything I can to help ensure that the Senate bill fails.”
