Statements by Congressmen Eliot Engel, and Adriano Espaillat on the GOP Tax Reform Plan

Engel: New York is "Getting Screwed" by the GOP Tax Scam

  Congressman Eliot Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on House Republicans voting to pass the GOP tax reform plan:

“There’s no other way to say it: New York is getting screwed by the tax scam Congressional Republicans passed today. This bill will be painful for middle-class taxpayers, who will see their taxes increase, while permanent tax cuts go to the very wealthy and big corporations. It explodes the deficit by adding $2.3 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years, which in turn will lead to massive cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, education, transportation, Homeland Security and environmental protection. And it will eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s Individual Mandate, raising costs on middle-class families and increasing health insurance premiums by 10% per year, all while possibly leaving 13 million more Americans uninsured.

“Then there are the state and local tax (SALT) deductions, which are capped at $10,000 for individuals and families. This is where donor states like New York will be hit disproportionately hard, as many middle-income New Yorkers would in effect be taxed twice on some of their income. The result would hit middle class families hard and while simultaneously putting be tremendous pressure on states and localities to use few resources to continue providing essential public services like education, local law enforcement, fire fighters, road construction and maintenance.

“Everything about this bill, from the process that froze out Democrats to the actual text of the legislation, is disgraceful. The American people should not forget this Republican betrayal come the 2018 mid-term elections.”

CONGRESSMAN ADRIANO ESPAILLAT STATEMENT ON THE REPUBLICAN TAX BILL

  “I voted no on the Republicans’ tax bill that will raise taxes on tens of millions of middle class families in my district and in communities around the nation. The GOP tax scam hands deficit-exploding giveaways to the wealthiest and corporations shipping jobs overseas,” said Rep. Espaillat.“The final assessment from the non-partisan Tax Policy Center shows the GOP tax scam will raise taxes on a staggering 86 million middle class households, giving 83 percent of its tax cuts to the wealthiest one percent. This disastrous tax plan hurts middle class families and the future of our economy. My constituents want and deserve real, bipartisan tax reform that puts them first by creating better jobs, better wages, and securing a stronger future. Today’s vote to advance the Republican tax bill is not the solution.”