On the recordDecember 19, 2019
On Wednesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 772, providing for consideration of H.R. 5377, the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. Speaker, SALT has been in law since the 16th Amendment was passed in 1913 with few minor adjustments, that is, until 2017, when Republicans passed the tax scam law. In 2017, the Republicans gave away almost $2 trillion in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy. They paid for this tax scam on the backs of hardworking American families. Thirty-six million middle-class families saw their taxes increase. The average American deducted $12,500 in State and local taxes, or SALT, from their Federal taxes before 2017. However, the Republican tax bill capped SALT deductions at $10,000, therefore, not fully covering what the average American deducts in State and local taxes. This cap means that Americans are paying taxes twice on the same dollar earned. Our tax system is based on the principle of federalism and acknowledges that the Federal Government should not do everything. State and local taxes provide funds for critical infrastructure and services, such as ensuring quality schools for our kids, fixing our roads, and supporting our local law enforcement.…
