As the House considers H. Con. Res. 71, the fiscal year 2018 budget resolution, NTU urges all Representatives to vote as follows:
“NO” on Pocan (D-WI)/Grijalva (D-AZ) Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Substitute: This amendment would increase taxes by $9 trillion over the next ten years, including a new excise tax on banks, a financial transactions tax, and an increased death tax. These types of cash-grabs hurt investment and job growth. The proposed budget would also increase tax complexity - already a serious problem - with five new tax brackets. These revenue raisers are necessary to pay for things like free college for all, expanding Obamacare, and an automatic pay raise for Federal workers. Even with this massive, economically devastating tax hike, the plan would not achieve budget balance.
“NO” on Yarmuth (D-KY) Democratic Caucus Substitute: This amendment would increase taxes by $2.7 trillion. A proposed corporate tax hike would put American workers and businesses even further behind in terms of global competitiveness and would result in lost jobs, lower wages, and higher prices for consumers.
“NO” on Scott (D-VA)/Richmond (D-LA) Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Substitute: This amendment would increase taxes by $3.9 trillion to pay for massive spending hikes across significant portions of the budget. The budget proposal would eliminate the spending caps imposed by the 2011 Budget Control Act, further exacerbating our spending crisis. This budget, as well as the two amendments above, fails to ever reach balance - driving up our already record debt.
“YES” on McClintock (R-CA)/Walker (R-NC) Republican Study Committee (RSC) Substitute: By contrast, the RSC budget balances by 2023. It reduces spending across most federal programs and agencies by a total of $10 trillion through eliminating wasteful expenditures and embracing much-needed entitlement reform. Though NTU remains concerned about wasteful Pentagon spending, the RSC budget deserves credit for addressing the Overseas Contingency Operations slush fund by properly restoring those resources to the base budget, while allowing for funding of true emergencies. Together with provisions that address corporate welfare, reduce barriers to investment, repeal Obamacare, and create a pathway for tax reform, the RSC budget paints a picture of robust economic growth and individual empowerment.
And, as a reminder, NTU continues to urge all Representatives to vote “YES” on H. Con. Res. 71, the underlying resolution. As we stated in an earlier vote alert:
Although this resolution contains several significant flaws, its passage is critical, primarily for addressing the nation’s highest fiscal priority – fixing our broken tax code.
… [T]he budget must be evaluated in a broader context. Congress has a rare opportunity to enact historic tax reform that could reinvigorate the economy and improve the standard of living for Americans from all walks of life. If fundamental tax reform is going to become a reality, passage of this budget is imperative.
Roll call votes on the above amendments to H. Con. Res. 71 will be included in our annual Rating of Congress. A “YES” vote on the underlying resolution will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.