Month: November 2017

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a tax cut bill 227-205 this afternoon. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Statements on the tax cut bill have been made by U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-3rd Dist., and Andrea Ramsey, a Democratic candidate for the 3rd District.

Rep. Yoder, who voted in favor of the tax cut bill, stated:

“Today, Congress is putting people ahead of politics. We’re passing historic, sweeping reforms that will fix the broken tax code in America for the first time in 30 years.

“The typical family of four making the median household income of $59,000 – the middle class – will see a tax cut of nearly $1,200 under these reforms. On top of that, America will see real economic recovery we’ve been missing for the last 10 years. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will boost wages, according to non-partisan estimates, by nearly four and a half percent. As President John F. Kennedy used to say, ‘the rising tide lifts all boats.’

“More money in your pocket, higher wages on your paycheck – it’s a win for middle class, hardworking families all around. Importantly, the bill specifically targets help for families with children with the increased Child Tax Credit, creation of the Family Credit, and preservation of the Adoption Tax Credit. Through the process, I worked hard to preserve the child care tax credits and flex spending accounts for working moms and dads.

“With these reforms, Americans across the country living paycheck to paycheck get relief from their tremendous tax burden. Those suffering from economic anxiety no longer need to navigate complex loopholes to figure out how the government wants to reward their behavior. They’ll have the freedom to choose how to spend their own money. And the lower you get down the economic ladder, the bigger the benefits of this bill get. The Joint Committee on Taxation shows that the biggest percent reduction in taxes paid goes to Americans making between $20,000 and $30,000.

“The time for action is now. Like President Reagan once said, ‘there are no limits to growth and human progress when men and women are free to follow their dreams.’ Today, I’m proud to cast a vote for that freedom, and to deliver on a promise to provide tax relief the American people deserve.”

Ramsey, who is running for the Democratic nomination for the 3rd District, is the immediate past president and chair of Turner House Children’s Clinic, a safety net clinic in Wyandotte County, serving more than 6,000 patients. Ramsey has worked as head of human resources at Quest Diagnostics and Lab One, and as senior counsel at Black and Veatch. From Leawood, Ramsey also is a mentor for students at Bishop Ward High School.

Ramsey’s statement:

“We need real tax reform in this country that eliminates special- interest loopholes to reduce taxes for the middle class. Unfortunately, the Republican Plan that passed today is anything but real tax reform — it’s just another attempt to cut taxes for the super-wealthy and corporations at the expense of the middle class.

“The average Kansas family will pay more under this plan. The Republican plan limits the tax deduction for state and local taxes, and lowers the cap on the mortgage interest deduction — which hurts middle class families here in Kansas.

“As I said when this bill was introduced, here in Kansas we’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact of a reckless tax plan that makes the middle class pay more, cuts education and health care, stalls job growth and adds $11 billion in debt.

“Now today, Congressman Yoder voted in favor of this bill and against middle class families.”