U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, D-3rd Dist., has issued a statement on the federal tax cut bill.
The bill passed in its final version on Wednesday in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Yoder issued this statement on Tuesday, after a preliminary vote on it:
“Today, the House of Representatives passed generational reforms that will reduce the tax burden for hardworking families across America. This was a vote to give relief to the 75 percent of Americans currently living paycheck to paycheck who have been suffering from a stifling economic anxiety and little to no wage growth over the last eight years. Today’s vote was a vote for every family, every single mom, every entrepreneur, and every student fighting to climb up the economic ladder and achieve the American Dream.
“The typical middle class family will see a tax cut of $2,059 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. On top of that, the typical middle class family in Kansas will see an increase in after-tax income by $2,500 – meaning they’ll finally get that pay raise they’ve been hoping for the last decade.
“We do it primarily by making three vital changes to our tax code. We double the standard deduction, making the first $24,000 of a family’s income tax-free. We double the child tax credit to $2,000 and make it refundable, allowing low-income families to reduce their payroll tax burden. And we lower tax rates for all Americans.
“The facts show that relief is specifically targeted to middle and low-income Americans, fulfilling our promise to lower the tax burden for those who need it the most. Analysis from the Joint Committee on Taxation shows that those making between $20,000 and $30,000 per year will see the largest percentage tax cut under our bill.
“In Congress, it’s a fight between those who demand higher taxes and more spending in Washington and those who want to return tax dollars to the hardworking Americans who earned them. Today, the Washington bureaucrats lost and the American people won.”
In addition to voting for the legislation, Representative Yoder led the fight to preserve several important provisions for working families:
• Child care tax credits and flexible spending accounts
• Educator school supply expense deduction
• Tax exemption for graduate student tuition waivers