[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 184 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 17, 2015

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, today, December 17, 2015, I was unable to 
vote on Roll Call 703.
  If I had been present, I would have supported H.R. 2029, the tax 
extenders portion of the fiscal year 2016 omnibus spending legislation.
  I would have voted in favor of this legislation because it includes 
the extension of critical tax provisions that would help millions of 
American workers, students, families, and businesses. Critically, the 
bill makes permanent three key refundable tax credits: the child tax 
credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the American Opportunity Tax 
Credit. Combined, these tax credits will help 24 million working 
families. Additionally, it includes an extension of the research and 
development tax credit, a vital component of Massachusetts's innovation 
economy.
  However this bill is far from perfect, and I am disappointed that 
Congress has shunned its obligation to ensure these cuts are offset. I 
look forward to working with my Republican colleagues in the months 
ahead to enact comprehensive reform that focuses on job creation and 
the growth of our middle class.

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