On the recordDecember 1, 2017
I thank Senator Wyden. Mr. President, if we want to cut taxes for the middle class, as my colleagues keep saying, then let's cut taxes for the middle class. Instead of giving the money to the corporations and hoping it trickles down, let's cut out the middleman. Let's put the money directly in the pockets of working families. I will say that again. Instead of giving the money to corporations and hoping it trickles down, cut out the middleman and put the money directly in the pockets of working families. I will keep saying this, because tax reform should be that simple. I spent the last 2 weeks, and in particular the past 2 days, working with Senators Rubio and Lee on a good-faith effort to bring the child tax credit into this conversation. I don't believe their proposal goes far enough because it fails to index the CTC for inflation. For inflation, it is temporary. Remember, the tax cuts for individuals are temporary; the tax cuts for corporations are permanent. It continues to be tied only to payroll taxes. It ignores the burdens we place on working families. We can find trillions--trillions--for corporations. This is all we can do for working families? Unfortunately, while Senators Lee and Rubio were making a real effort at middle-class tax cuts, and I thought we were close to a bipartisan bill that could save this bill, it didn't happen.…





