Waterloo, IA - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today released the following statement after news reports indicated that House Republicans were on the verge of agreeing to vote on a bipartisan compromise to extend the middle class payroll tax cut for two months:

"Finally, some common sense seems to be breaking through the partisan games dominating Washington.  Extending the middle class tax cut is vital to our economic recovery and creating jobs.  Today's developments hopefully mean that middle class families can breathe easier knowing their taxes won't go up by $1,000 on January 1^st.

"This isn't a Democratic issue or a Republican issue - it's just good for Iowa.  That's why I broke with my party last week to support the Republican plan to extend the tax cut.  It's why I supported the bipartisan Senate plan to extend the tax cut earlier this week.

"The sooner the House can vote on a middle class tax cut extension, the better.  I'm ready and able to come to Washington to vote for the middle class tax cut extension again.  I'm glad my third vote for this tax cut will be the charm."

There is significant confusion surrounding the recent debate on the extension of the payroll tax cut, extension of unemployment insurance and preventing the pending cut to physician Medicare reimbursement rates.  These three issues are urgent. They will impact millions of middle class families, unemployed Americans and Medicare patients. The deadline for action on all three is January 2012.

The Details:

• Extension of Payroll Tax Holiday

o   Currently, employees pay a payroll tax of 4.2% of their income to Social Security, on wages earned up to $106,800.

o   On January 1, 2012, if Congress does not pass an extension of the "Holiday," then the payroll tax will revert back to previous law, which is a 6.2% tax on those same wages

o   This equates to a 2% tax increase, if Congress fails to extend the Payroll Tax Holiday.

o   This tax impacts 160 million Americans nationwide.  For an Iowan making $50,000 per year, this equates to a $1,000 tax increase.

• Unemployment Insurance

o   Congress must reauthorize provisions that maintain long-term unemployment benefits for laid-off workers.  These provisions will begin to expire on January 3, 2012 if Congress does not pass an extension.

o   Currently, states provide up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, so those who will be harmed by the expiration of the federal provisions are the long-term unemployed (ie, those unemployed for longer than 26 weeks).

o   Without Congressional action, approximately 6,600 Iowans will lose their long-term unemployment benefits.

• Medicare Reimbursements to Doctors

o   If Congress does not act, a scheduled 27% cut in Medicare reimbursements will occur on January 1, 2012, due to the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) in the Medicare formula.  This means that every time a doctor sees a Medicare patient, the doctor would receive 27% less in his Medicare reimbursement.

o   This could harm Medicare patients' (seniors) access to care, if doctors no longer find it cost-effective to accept Medicare patients.

The Votes:

Ignoring the rhetoric and partisan positioning on both sides of the aisle, there have been two substantive votes in the House of Representatives to resolve these three urgent issues.

• Vote "On Passage" of HR 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011 (called "the House GOP bill"), on Tuesday, December 13, 2011

o   Braley crosses party lines and supports.  Only 10 Democrats supported.

o   The Senate did not allow a vote on this bill.

o   This vote would do the following:

§  Extend for one year, until December 31, 2012, the Payroll Tax Holiday

§  Extend for 13 months, until January 31, 2013, the long-term unemployment benefits provisions

§  Prevents any reduction in the SGR for 2 years, through January 1, 2014.  Instead, gives a 1% increase in Medicare reimbursement rates.

• Vote on "Motion that the House Disagree to the Senate Amendments" on HR 3630, the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (called "the Senate bipartisan bill"), on Tuesday, December 20, 2011

o   Braley supports the Senate Bill, by voting "nay" on the Motion to Disagree.

o   The Senate bill died in the House when this Motion to Disagree passed 229-193.

o   This bill had earlier been Agreed to in the Senate by a vote of 89-10

o   This vote would do the following:

§  Extend for 2 months, through February 29, 2012, the Payroll Tax Holiday

§  Extend for 2 months, through March 6, 2012, the long-term unemployment benefits provisions

§  Prevents for 2 months, through February 29, 2012, the 27% cut to Medicare reimbursement rates.

Both of these votes would prevent the damage from occurring in January if passed into law:

• Prevent a tax increase to 160 million Americans.
• Prevent 6,600 Iowans from losing unemployment benefits.
• Prevent Iowa doctors from seeing a cut of 27% in their Medicare reimbursement rates.

Rep. Braley is 1 of only 14 to support BOTH SOLUTIONS:

Of the 535 members of  both the House and the Senate, Rep. Braley was 1 of only 14 to vote at every opportunity to extend the middle class tax cut and stop the loss of unemployment benefits and the 27% reduction to Iowa doctors.  He supported BOTH the House GOP's 1-year extension, and the Senate bipartisan 2-month extension.

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Presses Transportation Secretary LaHood to stop airlines from sending parents and kids to the back of airplanes 

Washington, DC - As the holiday travel season ramps up again this week, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today urged US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to ensure airlines aren't treating parents traveling with young children unfairly.

A Wall Street Journal report last month raised questions about the perils many parents face when traveling by air with young children.  The Journal reported that many airlines have adopted seating policies that relegate parents traveling with children to the back of the plane.  Many airlines also restrict the type of strollers that can be gate-checked.  Some airlines count diaper bags toward carry-on bag allowances, and charge parents who check both a car seat and a stroller.

"Many Iowans will be traveling by air over the holidays," Braley said.  "But too often, it seems like families flying with young children have to play by a different set of rules.  From airlines purposefully keeping parents and kids in the back of the plane to charging parents fees for strollers and diaper bags, airlines should treat parents traveling with kids just like any other passenger.  That's why I've requested that Transportation Secretary LaHood immediately review airlines' policies."

The full text of Braley's letter to LaHood follows.  A copy of the letter can also be downloaded at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/N0C

--

December 19, 2011

The Honorable Ray LaHood

Secretary, Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, D.C. 20590

Dear Secretary LaHood:

I want to direct your attention to a recent article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal.  This article details the travel nightmares that many families with small children go through while flying.  I've included a copy of the article for your reference.

As a parent, I know firsthand how stressful traveling can be with young children.  A parent's worst nightmare is being separated from their young child because the child's seat was re-assigned to the back of the plane.  This is something that clearly happens quite frequently.

As we approach the holiday travel season, millions of families with small children will be traveling by air around the country.  That being said, I would like to know what rules the Department of Transportation has in place to ease the stresses placed on families with small children who travel during the holidays.  Please provide me with an answer to the following question:

What rules does the Department have in place to ensure that airlines do not separate children from their parents when traveling by air?

If there are no rules in place, please explain why.

I ask that you please provide me with a response to this letter within 10 business days.  Thank you for your attention to my request and please feel free to contact me if I can provide further assistance.

Sincerely,

Bruce L. Braley

Grants will help aid recovery from Iowa disasters

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a round of grants worth $2.8 million to help repair power lines damaged by flooding and prevent future flood threats.

The FEMA grants will help strengthen power lines that sustained damage in 2008 due to a series of severe storms, tornadoes and heavy rains.  Another grant will be used to help prevent the threat from future floods in Manchester.

"This funding will help improve power lines and diminish the threat from future flooding," Braley said.  "These grants are an insurance policy against future disasters and an investment in future economic growth across Iowa."

A list of grant beneficiaries follows: