Urges House leadership to work together to extend payroll tax cut
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) wrote House Speaker John Boehner and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urging them to work together to pass a yearlong extension of the middle class payroll tax cut.
In December, a yearlong middle class tax cut extension became mired in partisanship and Washington gridlock. After weeks of stalled negotiations and scorched-earth tactics, a two-month temporary extension of the middle class tax cut was ultimately passed.
"In less than two months, the short-term middle class tax cut extension will expire. If Congress doesn't start working together now, we'll be in the same situation we were at the end of December: a partisan shouting match.
"Enough is enough. Let's start working together now to extend the middle class tax cut and restore certainty for middle class families. A yearlong extension will put $1,000 in the pocket of the average middle class family and help strengthen the economy. America's middle class can't afford to wait until the last minute."
Braley has consistently worked across party lines for a yearlong middle class tax cut extension. He was one of only 10 Democrats to support a Republican bill to couple a yearlong extension of the middle class tax cut with other provisions. Braley also supported the compromise Senate bill that extended the middle class tax cut until the end of February.
Text of Braley's letter is below; a copy of Braley's letter can be downloaded at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/niP
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January 23, 2012
The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-204, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi:
Please work together to extend until the end of the year the payroll tax cut that is set to expire at the end of February. This issue is far too important for our country's economic recovery to let politics stand in the way.
This middle class tax cut is essential for job creation and our economic recovery. Extending this middle class tax cut will keep nearly $1,000 in the pocket of the average family and 160 million Americans would benefit from extending this tax cut. That's money a family can keep to spend on groceries, clothes, utilities, etc. This tax cut puts money back in the pockets of middle class families that will help spur demand and economic growth.
Both political parties shamefully used this issue as political leverage when we tried to extend the payroll tax cut in December, but continuing this tax cut is more important than Washington politics. This issue shouldn't be about Republicans and Democrats - it's good for our economy and it's good for Americans. It's time for Congress to finish the job.
We're facing some tough times, and people in this country are desperate for leadership. They don't care about labels, they care about results. Americans don't want to see political point-scoring and game-playing in Washington. They want to see people come together to solve problems. Both parties generally support the idea of extending this middle class tax cut. It shouldn't be so hard to get this done.
Please stand up for American families by extending the payroll tax cut. Now is not the time to leave them hanging. I stand ready to work in any way possible to help make a year-long extension of the middle class tax cut a reality.
Sincerely,
Bruce Braley,
Member of Congress
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