PA House Republicans Pressured to Back Senate-Passed Bill That Continues Tax Relief for 98% of Americans and to Reject Boehner "Plan B" Bill That Gives Millionaires a Tax Break While Taxing Millions of Middle Class Working Families
PENNSYLVANIA- With taxes set to go up by $2,200 for average American families at the beginning of the year and the Republican Congressional leadership choosing to halt negotiations that could forge a solution, the community group Action-Pennsylvania called on U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA-3), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA-8), Jim Gerlach (R-PA-6), Charlie Dent (R-PA-15), Patrick Meehan (R-PA-7), and Lou Barletta (R-PA-11) to choose the middle class over millionaires in two votes to be taken in the U.S. House today.
Votes are expected to take place in the U.S. House today on two contrasting tax bills: 1) a responsible bill already passed by the Senate that would immediately extend the Bush tax cuts for those with incomes under $250,000 for a couple and $200,000 for an individual; and 2) the so-called "Plan B" bill put forward by House Speaker John Boehner and the Republican House leadership, which would recklessly continue tax cuts for the wealthy - and in fact would give millionaires an average $50,000 tax break - while raising taxes by an average of $1,000 on 25 million working families with children and students. Compared to the Senate-passed middle-class tax cuts bill, "Plan B" would generate $400 billion less in revenue to close our long-term budget gap and make investments that create and sustain jobs.
Michael Morrill, Executive Director at Keystone Progress: "Pennsylvania's representatives in Congress - especially U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA-3), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA-8), Jim Gerlach (R-PA-6), Charlie Dent (R-PA-15), Patrick Meehan (R-PA-7), and Lou Barletta (R-PA-11) - must confront some clear facts. They are defying those who sent them to Washington if they hold up middle tax relief to protect tax breaks for millionaires. And the public will hold them responsible if they allow taxes to go up on every American family."
Morrill continued: "Failure to pass the Senate bill only brings us closer to an automatic tax hike costing the average middle class family $2,200 and to painful service cuts that will hurt Pennsylvania families and seniors. Even Governor Corbett and his team recognize this: they have projected that if a deal is not reached, Pennsylvania will take a hit of $300 million, slashing services for pregnant and young children, school students, and seniors who need assistance heating their homes. Instead of wasting precious time on a useless vote to protect millionaires, these Congressmen have a golden opportunity to approve the Senate bill to immediately extend tax relief to 98% of the American people and 97% of small businesses."
"'Plan B' is not a serious alternative," added Morrill. "Pennsylvanians have a simple message for their representatives: Don't ring in the New Year by dropping the ball on middle class tax relief. Vote NO on Plan B."
Keystone Progress is one of over 150 national, state and local organizations part of The Action - a grassroots movement calling for the end of the Bush-era tax breaks for the richest 2 percent that have shortchanged critical investments that create and sustain jobs.
