Matt Gaetz: “To the extent that this is a tax bill, there are good provisions in it on business expensing for economic growth.…”

“To the extent that this is a tax bill, there are good provisions in it on business expensing for economic growth. Nonetheless, Mr. Speaker, this is not a tax bill. This is a welfare bill masquerading as a tax bill. The Wall Street Journal was correct to identify the ways in which this legislation vastly expands the welfare state. This is how the bipartisan agreement came together: If the Republicans were willing to give the Democrats what they wanted for illegal aliens to get massive subsidies and welfare, then the Democrats were willing to give the Republicans what they wanted on a bunch of business welfare. The child tax credit, as currently contemplated, will be a massive pull factor to bring people into this country illegally, and we could have, as the majority party, demanded constraints to stop them from being able to use the money that way. Nevertheless, bipartisanship was more important than good policy. As my friend from Kentucky (Mr. Massie) noted recently, Mr. Speaker, if you aren't paying taxes and you get a refundable tax credit in the form of a check, that is not a tax cut. That is not even tax policy. That is just welfare. That is just giving people money who didn't initially pay it in, and a bunch of them are here illegally. It is not just a welfare bill in that respect. It is also corporate welfare.…”