[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 185 (Monday, November 13, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9160-H9166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TAX REFORM
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
General Leave
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to
co-anchor this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.
I also want to take the time to acknowledge our chair, the Honorable
Cedric Richmond from the State of Louisiana.
For the next hour, we have a chance to speak directly to the American
people on issues that are important to the Congressional Black Caucus.
The issue right now that seems to be of the most importance to the
Congressional Black Caucus and the constituents that we represent, and
the American public, for that matter, is tax reform, and the plan that
is being considered that the Speaker has indicated that he would like
for us to vote on this week.
We have a few Members here who would like to take the time to also
express their interest in this. This is a very big deal, obviously. We
don't do tax reform that often. The last time we did tax reform was in
the early 1980s, and that was, obviously, something that was very
bipartisan. This experience has not been bipartisan whatsoever, and we
are concerned also about the effect that it is going to have on our
constituencies.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to open it up for Members to talk about
whatever it is that they would like to, but I did want to let you know
that the main topic was going to be tax reform.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Payne for his participation again
and for always participating in the CBC Special Order hours. We know
that these are very important. Our constituencies, again, want to hear
how we stand on these issues. They are getting a lot of press right
now. So I thank the gentleman very much for being here this evening.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), my
friend and colleague.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Veasey for hosting
tonight's Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, we are here, as the gentleman from Texas has stated, to
discuss many different issues that face the American people.
H.R. 1, which is interesting that it holds that number, because based
on what we see, that tax cut will only work for the top 1 percent, so
we feel that it is appropriate that it was designated H.R. 1.
Mr. Speaker, this tax bill, cut tax scam will devastate over a period
of time the working class, people trying to move into the middle class,
and middle class families. Eventually, some people might see a bit of a
cut, but for most people, there will be an increase.
I do not understand why we continue to think that trickle-down
economics is going to work in this country. It has failed time and time
again. To give breaks to the most wealthy, somehow we feel that that is
going to overflow and trickle and drip down to the middle class.
Sometimes a drip is very slow. We continue to wait for this economic
equation to work one time in the country's history because, up to this
point, it has not worked.
Why would we not allow families to continue to deduct their interest
on student loans? Why?
Most of these families are fighting to get their children into
college and have to take out loans.
What is it about the country that we need to tax those people?
Tell me why it is that they cannot deduct this interest.
Two of my sisters are teachers, both in education--one in alternative
high school work and one a kindergarten teacher for 25 or 30 years. In
kindergarten, you are looking to help a youngster become creative, find
their gift. On many occasions, with the school not being able to supply
things, they would go to the educational stores and buy flashcards and
buy other items to enhance the children's education, out of their
pockets, out of their personal moneys.
Now you are going to say that they cannot deduct those expenses that
they are using to educate our children, our next leaders? Why?
Yet, if you go from a 75-foot yacht to a 100-foot yacht, you are
allowed to deduct the difference. Why?
It absolutely makes no sense what we are doing with H.R. 1. It is a
billionaire's tax scam, and we need to make sure the American people
understand that.
Secretary Mnuchin was on the talk shows on Sunday. He said: Well, we
can't promise everybody is going to get a tax break.
So they are even, finally, being honest about it.
Mr. Speaker, everybody might not benefit from this tax cut, but all
of the people that they are interested in will benefit from this tax
cut.
We need to be honest with the American people. We need true tax
reform. My colleagues on this side of the aisle are ready to do that,
but the majority continues to stifle any bipartisanship that we can
have on this issue.
We need to move forward in a positive way for the American people. We
need to come together in this body to help the American people. We do
not need another tax cut for the rich.
In New Jersey--a State that only gets 77 cents back on the money that
it pays to the Federal Government--for every dollar, we get 77 cents
back in services. So we are subsidizing other States.
{time} 1945
I heard today that West Virginia, for every dollar it sends, gets
over $4 back.
Not to allow New Jersey's citizens and other subsidizing States--
Connecticut, Maryland, New York--to have the tax break on State and
local exemptions is almost like double taxing people.
I just am here to say that this is an issue that is very important to
the American people. They do need relief and they do need help, but we
need to do it in a bipartisan manner that makes sense for the entire
country--not just the top 1 percent, but the entire Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Veasey for his leadership on these Special
Order hours. He has demonstrated a gift in bringing issues to the
American people and to the country in a manner that is very even-
tempered. Some of us get a little excited, but Mr. Veasey seems to be
able to keep his composure and still be strong in his message, and I
applaud him for that.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Payne very much for
speaking this evening on the importance of this tax bill and that we
debate this and really, again, just keep or constituents informed. Mr.
Payne takes every one seriously, and I know he has tried to participate
in as many of these as he can, and I thank him for that--again, the
importance of talking about this tax bill, talking about the
Republicans' past attempts at failed trickle-down policies and trying
to bring those same policies and put them in this tax reform bill and
trying to rush us into a floor vote this week.
We should all be working together to try to come up with some sort of
bipartisan solution, some sort of bipartisan policy position that will
be good for everyone, because I can tell you, Mr.
[[Page H9161]]
Speaker, that for many of the low-income and working class and lower
middle class constituents and middle class constituents in the district
that I represent, I know that people are going to be hurt.
Mr. Speaker, I know Mr. Payne is concerned about that. I know the 49
members of the Congressional Black Caucus are concerned about that.
This is very serious, and it could have very long-lasting
implications, as has been pointed out by advocacy groups and others
from all sides of the political spectrum. It is not just Democrats or
the Progressive community that is concerned about this. There are a lot
of people who are concerned about a variety of the different programs
here that are going to be affected.
Mr. Speaker, again, I appreciate everything that Mr. Payne brings to
this, particularly with him representing New Jersey, because we know
that, for that particular part of the country, housing and other goods
can sometimes be even more expensive, and it can be a very tough
hardship on families. When you add this tax bill to the fold, it makes
it even more daunting.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, we have the highest property taxes in the
country, and it is really an effort for families to stay in their homes
and pay those property taxes. Any relief they can have along the way
helps their quality of life in this country, and that is what we are
here striving for, to make sure that everyone can benefit and enjoy the
fruits of this country.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure the American Dream
doesn't become the American nightmare while people are trying to figure
out how they are going to make their house payment and pay for their
house.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Payne very much for his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from the city of Houston, Harris
County, our country's fourth largest city, Sheila Jackson Lee. I thank
Representative Jackson Lee for always participating in these Special
Order hours.
Mr. Speaker, I know that, in particular, the gentlewoman's concern is
Houston, being such a large part of our State, a large part of our
Nation's capital economy, and the effects of this tax bill. When you
start talking about something affecting Houston, with it being the
fourth largest city, it can have very consequential effects on our
entire State, because their economy is such a big part of what makes
Texas go.
Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentlewoman for being a part of this.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for
his leadership, his stewardship of these very special ways of
communicating to the American people.
I just left a meeting on temporary protected status, so I will try to
summarize my remarks, because I think it is very important to join in
the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Richmond, and my
colleague Mr. Payne and my colleague Mr. Evans, who will join us in
that effort, because this is a way to communicate with our colleagues
of the urgency of some of these issues.
So let me first of all take a moment that really gives me great
consternation, great concern, and that is that, as I said in my
remarks, while the President was out of the country, that I will always
wish him safe travels and safe return, but you have to think about how
we have turned the corner on the dignity of the Presidency when you
have to monitor the tweets or the words that are being said by that
Office when they are out of the country.
There is one point I have to make, because I am a product of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965. Barbara Jordan was able to be the first
African American from Texas, since Reconstruction, elected to the
United States Congress, along with Andy Young from Georgia, after the
Voting Rights Act.
Mr. Speaker, there was nothing untoward. It was just simply allowing
one person one vote. Heretofore, in the Deep South and in the
Southwest, African Americans were denied the right to vote by
suppression, poll tax, and a number of tactics; but the Voting Rights
Act eliminated or prevented, had to have preclearance, any
discriminatory factor that could be raised that would keep minorities
from voting, that one vote, one person.
It pains me to read the headlines: ``Trump Says He Believes Putin's
Election Meddling Denials.''
I believe that it is important for people of goodwill, for Members of
the United States Congress, to denounce these comments and to ask for
the dignity of this Office to really put Americans first and put this
Nation first, because that is not what is being done.
All of the intelligence agencies, 17 plus, have indicated that not
only did they influence, they intruded, they skewed the election. They
didn't just meddle. You cannot ask a former KGB officer to tell you
that he didn't meddle in our elections. Elections matter.
This is no comment on who won or lost. This is a comment on reality.
The elections were skewed to one person, and it was confirmed by the
intelligence agencies, and it is time for the highest Office to speak
on behalf of the American people.
That brings me right to the Trump tax cuts, the Republican tax cuts.
I spoke earlier during 1 minutes to try and correlate between tax cuts
and the needs of the American people.
These major tax cuts will offer more benefits to corporations, which,
by the way, are having their biggest season of profits that we have
ever had. They are succeeding beyond imagination. They have not only
stock prices going up, but the profits that they are able to stock away
are going up.
Take that in the backdrop of this tax bill, having to cut and violate
the Medicare trust fund and Medicaid in order to find the dollars to be
able to give the top 1 percent the greatest tax cut and to give
corporations a 20 percent tax cut in the United States and a 12 percent
tax cut overseas, which, in addition to giving them that money on the
corporate rates, which is a reasonable thing to discuss, but by the
inequity of the lower amount being overseas, you can imagine that jobs
are still going to leave and go overseas.
This is a tax cut that is made for the basket, if you will, of
goodies for the top 1 percent. This is not worrying about working
Americans.
Let me put into the Record what you will lose.
You will lose the mortgage interest.
You will lose the fairness of the child tax credit.
You will lose the student loan interest, tuition, and other education
expenses; personal casualty losses; tax preparation costs; medical
expenses; alimony payments; moving expenses--which will impact victims
of Hurricane Harvey, my constituents in Kashmere Gardens, northeast
Houston, Third Ward, Acres Home, the Heights, Jacinto City, places
where individuals have been impacted; this moving expense, elimination
of that as a deduction, will impact individuals who are trying to
restore their lives--and employee business expenses.
This bill will hurt the average working American. It is a frightening
bill. I would almost like to say it is a bill made near purgatory on
the way to you know where. This is a disgusting attack on hardworking
Americans.
I want to also put in the Record my concern about extending the
temporary protected status for Haitians as well as El Salvadorans and a
number of other countries that are facing the 6-month deadline that
seems to be what has come out of the administration.
All of these countries have devastation, and all of these countries
are deserving, if you will, of an extension for the people who are here
because they are, in fact, suffering still. Haiti is suffering still
from the earthquake. El Salvador is suffering.
I want to mention one of my constituents, Jose, and his wife, who
were deported during the horror and the hysteria of the announcement
from the administration of: I am going to be hard on deportation.
A hardworking family man, a manager of a paint store, was deported
out of this country back to El Salvador where there is no work, there
is no opportunity, and they are still suffering from the devastation of
years past. This is what we are in the midst of.
Let me, finally, express, as I indicated, my concerns about extending
the temporary protected status certainly for Haitians and others. We
are working on that as we speak.
Then let me come back to Hurricane Harvey. There are about 50,000
people in the hotels. We are still in need.
[[Page H9162]]
I am going to close with this.
We just experienced Veterans Day. What a pleasure to be able to speak
with the many veterans, the Buffalo Soldiers, who celebrated at the
downtown celebration, the American Legion. The Aldine Mail Route had a
parade. Stafford had a parade. Many places had a parade. I want to
celebrate our veterans by saying thank you.
When I spoke to young people, eighth graders, I told them about the
value of joining the United States military, putting on the uniform.
Policy does not relate to the value of the men and women who put on the
uniform.
{time} 2000
I believe that it is certainly of concern that we should understand
what the needs of the military are. And if this proposal goes forward
of giving waivers for individuals with depression, bipolar disorder,
getting waivers, let me be very clear, I advocate for the full
utilization of people, and those people who have mental health issues.
It is very important, as they are recruited into the United States
military, that all of the resources needed to have them perform at the
fullest of their capacity, we must ensure, as Members of Congress, that
that happens. That must be our responsibility because, as we look at
our veterans and we see the sacrifice, we see what war means, we have
to make sure that we embrace them solidly and respect them and honor
them.
So I thank the gentleman for allowing me to share a few thoughts. I
will simply say that the gentleman is absolutely right, this tax
legislation will be devastating, costly, and hard for the country to
dig out of the deepening debt that is going to be created.
Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus
in drawing attention to the Republican Leadership's latest plan to hurt
the American taxpayers, especially those who did not support the
President during the election.
The Republican tax cut bill will hurt hospitals.
The House tax bill would remove tax-exempt status of private activity
bonds for construction of a non-profit facility such as a hospital.
This could potentially impact a fourth of the rural hospitals in
Texas and many urban hospitals that may be planning construction or
extensive renovation projects in the next few years.
Many non-profit hospitals depend on tax exempt private-activity bonds
(PABs) as a financing tool.
PABs are tax exempt for certain entities, including qualified
501(c)(3) organizations including hospital bonds, but under the new tax
reform legislation being considered by this body, the tax exemption
will be removed.
PABs play a critical role in helping not-for-profit hospitals and
health systems access low-cost capital.
Access to low-cost capital financing allows qualifying entities to
keep infrastructure expenditures low.
This increases the ability for qualifying hospitals and health system
to use these savings to increase more efficient, more affordable care.
Federal tax-exempt financing is part of what continues to help health
care providers and hospitals serve our nation and support rural
communities.
The Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals opposes removal
of tax-exemption for PABs and urges Republicans to stop threatening
small and rural hospitals.
The Republican Tax plan amends Title 26 of the United States Code 529
that deals with Qualified tuition programs.
The Code was intended to encourage persons to attain higher education
and provide incentives for persons who pursue doctorates.
Most people know that going back to school to obtain a degree is a
difficult choice to make with full time jobs and family obligations.
Having a degree can substantially increase income and provide choices
that would otherwise be unattainable to the recipient of advanced
degrees.
The benefit to the economy and our nation's leadership in the
sciences rests with the number of people who attain undergraduate and
graduate degrees.
The Republicans have gone into this section 529 of the tax code and
extended the tax write-offs to those sending their children to K-12
private schools.
Other ways the Republican Tax bill hurts tax payers who pursue
college educations for themselves or their children.
Repeal of Lifetime Learning Credit;
Repeal of the Student Loan Interest Deduction;
Repeal of the qualified tuition reduction;
Repeal of educational assistance program;
Termination of private activity bonds; and,
Creation of a new excise tax on endowments at private colleges and
universities.
The Republican leadership of the House is also causing problems for
private sector investments in Colleges and Universities.
The tax bill threatens tax write offs for donations to colleges and
universities and will limit tax credits associated with university-
industry partnerships.
The Republicans claim that their Child Tax Credit proposal would help
working families, but it simply does not do enough.
The House tax plan proposes a nonrefundable $600 increase in the
Child Tax Credit (CTC), and would make more families earning six
figures eligible to claim the CTC.
This proposal wouldn't help the women who need it most.
In addition, whatever benefits this CTC proposal would provide pales
in comparison to those that would be received by the wealthy and
corporations under this tax plan.
The bill cuts taxes for major corporations who already pay far less
than their fair share.
Republicans claim that economic growth will more than pay for the
lost revenue but we've tried this before.
When trickle-down economics fails again and this bill explodes the
nation's deficit, Republicans will call for huge spending cuts to
critical programs that hardworking Americans depend on to make ends
meet.
The plan's negative impact on the Lone Star state would be
particularly hard.
Independent analyses show the Republican plan would actually raise
taxes on about 1.5 million Texas households, or 12.4 percent of
households next year.
On average, families earning up to $86,000 annually would see a
$794.00 increase in their tax liability, a significant burden on
families struggling to afford child care and balance their checkbook.
According to the IRS, 23 percent of tax filers, or 2.8 million Texas
households, deduct their state and local taxes with an average
deduction of $7,823 in 2015.
The Ryan-McConnell plan eliminates this deduction, which would lower
home values and put pressure on states and towns to collect revenues
they depend on to fund schools, roads, and vital public resources.
Placing further strains on middle-class Texans is the elimination of
the personal exemption, which deducts $4,050 for each taxpayer and
dependent on a return from taxable income.
In 2015, roughly 9.3 million dependent exemptions were claimed in the
Lone Star State.
The GOP's reckless and irresponsible tax plan is made all the more
obscene by its disproportionate and immoral handouts to the wealthiest
few.
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy,
millionaires in Texas, 0.31 percent of filers in 2015 would receive
almost 57 percent of the benefits from the tax plan.
Texans deserve a tax plan that puts working and middle class families
first, not more deficit-exploding tax cuts for millionaires and
billionaires.
We need bipartisan tax reform that creates jobs, fuels economic
growth, and puts more money into the pockets of hard-working American
families.
A recent Pew Research Center report found little support for cutting
taxes for high-income households, which is defined as more than
$250,000 or large businesses and corporations.
In fact, 43 percent favored raising taxes on high-income households
and 52 percent said corporate taxes should be raised.
The Republicans persist with their scheme of raising taxes on hard-
working middle class families to pay for tax cuts for the rich.
It is reckless to explode our deficit which according to the Tax
Policy Center, would skyrocket by $2.4 trillion over the first decade.
The wealthy must pay their fair share, but the GOP tax scheme offers
them a free lunch at the expense of those who are most in need of a
helping hand.
The power of the purse rests with the House of Representatives and it
is our job to make sure that the American People are treated fairly.
Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House Committees on the
Judiciary and Homeland Security Committee, I also rise today to express
my strong objection to the announced intention by the Trump
Administration not to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for
Haiti, Honduras, and El Salvador.
On May 24, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
redesignated Haiti for 6 months of Temporary Protected Status (TPS),
rather than the full 18 months requested by the Government of Haiti,
Haiti experts in the United States, and the Congressional Black Caucus,
among others.
DHS' decision did not reflect the realities on the ground in Haiti,
which include Haiti's food scarcity crisis, cholera epidemic, and the
ongoing challenges posed by the unprecedented 2010 earthquake.
[[Page H9163]]
In a letter sent on November 3, 2017, the Congressional Black Caucus
urged DHS, once again, to fully extend Haiti's TPS designation for 18
months by the November 23, 2017 deadline in light of the aforementioned
conditions in Haiti, as well as the exarcerbated damage caused by
Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
In a report published in October 2017, the highly regarded Global
Justice Clinic concluded that conditions justifying Haiti's
qualification for TPS in 2011 remain as acute today as they were then.
The study also found that 40,000 Haitians uprooted by the 2010
earthquake are officially displaced and that many more likely remain
unofficially displaced in dangerously inadequate shelters.
The cholera epidemic that was tragically caused by international
efforts to aid Haiti in 2010 more than doubled following Hurricane
Matthew and is expected to directly affect more than 30,000 people by
the end of 2017.
Hurricane Matthew also exacerbated the food insecurity crisis in
Haiti, placing 2.4 million Haitians--22 percent of its population--in
the grips of an acute food insecurity crisis.
The Haitian government has been working diligently for years to
improve its economy, public health conditions, and infrastructure in
coordination with the United States government and international
community.
In order to accomplish this task, Haiti relies in large part on
remittances that its citizens receive from TPS beneficiaries in the
United States.
Therefore, the negative consequences of terminating Haiti's TPS
designation would be twofold.
It would end essential remittances that significantly contribute to
Haiti's recovery while also forcing the poorest republic in the Western
Hemisphere to absorb the cost of reintegrating thousands of citizens
all at once.
Such actions could be catastrophic to Haiti's recovery efforts and
run counter to Congressional efforts to improve American relations in
the region through the recently-passed United States-Caribbean
Strategic Engagement Act (Public Law 114-291).
Finally, it is essential to note that Haitian TPS beneficiaries
directly contribute to the United States.
They pay taxes, spend money, contribute to Social Security and
Medicare, and help promote American prosperity in numerous sectors,
such as the restaurant and food service, construction, and hospitality
industries.
About 30 percent of TPS beneficiaries are homeowners, stimulating the
real estate industry and contributing to the local property tax base.
Also, one in nine TPS beneficiaries in the labor force is self-
employed, meaning they not only create jobs for themselves, but also
create jobs for others.
A recent report found that the expiration of Haitian TPS would cost
the United States economy more $2.8 billion over a decade in lost gross
domestic product.
Mr. Speaker, we need to be both smart and compassionate when it comes
to extending TPS for Haiti.
The compassionate thing to do is extend TPS for Haiti.
But just as important, extending TPS for Haiti is the smart thing to
do because it strengthens the American economy and advances the
national interests of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, here are the top reasons why temporary protect status
(TPS) for Haiti should not be revoked:
1) Trump Administration Actions:
The DHS termination of TPS decision threatens families and key
industries in the United States and threatens the stability of nations
in our region.
On November, 2017, the Washington Post reported that the State
Department irresponsibly recommended that Temporary Protected Status
(TPS) be revoked for over 300,000 Honduran, Nicaraguan, Haitian and
Salvadorans living and working in the United States.
This is paving the way for the mass deportation of over 300,000
individuals who are legally in the US--many of whom have children who
are US citizens.
It was an inhumane, foolish and terrible decision to make, given TPS
holders' contributions to our economy including critical hurricane
recovery efforts, to say nothing of the national security and
humanitarian implications of kicking these individuals out.
That's why everyone from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to national
security experts, to Catholic bishops has expressed strong support for
extending this vital program.
These nations are in no condition to receive 300,000 returnees.
In Haiti, forcing the return of 50,000 people would disrupt the
fragile recovery, exacerbate the food, housing, and public health
crises, and potentially destabilize the new government.
In El Salvador and Honduras, the return of over 250,000 people would
strain government services and lead to job displacement in countries
besieged by violence, narcotics trafficking and weak institutions.
The revocation of TPS will further destabilize fragile countries in
our neighborhood. With remittances making up more than 15% of the GDP
of TPS-designated countries, the sudden loss will put an added strain
on the U.S. foreign aid budget while families who have long relied on
this source of income will have no other option than to attempt to come
to the U.S. as undocumented workers.
That's why Congress must act without delay to pass CHC-endorsed bill
by Rep. Nydia Velazquez--the American Promise Act--would ensure
individuals who have resided in the U.S. under these programs for a
period of three years can remain in the country and pursue a path to
naturalization.
2) TPS Revocation Is Not in America's National Interest:
Americans with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are hardworking
individuals who are contributing to our economy, our communities and
our industries.
TPS recipients have passed numerous criminal background checks and
have often been living in the U.S. for over a decade.
With more than 300,000 TPS beneficiaries expecting a Trump
Administration decision on their fate, and some 800,000 DACA
beneficiaries depending on Congressional action to shape their futures,
we are entering a stretch of time that will be of huge consequence to
1.1 million immigrants who are deeply rooted and legally present in
America.
Regardless of how you might feel about the policy, TPS holders from
these countries have been in legal limbo for at least 16 years.
They are perhaps the most vetted, legally present, and work
authorized community in our country.
They have submitted to numerous criminal background checks, once
every 18 months.
Life has gone on for these folks--they have families here, are
contributing to our economy, and our communities.
There are an estimated that 273,000 U.S.-born children in the country
have parents with TPS.
Economic, legal, and policy experts have highlighted the disastrous
economic impacts of revoking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for
hundreds of thousands of Americans, as country-specific deadlines loom.
3) Positive Economic Impacts of TPS
Approximately 250,000 TPS recipients are currently employed--
approximately 94% of men and 82% of women.
The average TPS recipient works between 40-45 hours per week.
Given the length of time on the job, many of these workers are
senior, specialized and not easily replaceable such as construction
site supervisors and nursing home professionals.
The five leading industries that would face mass layoffs are
construction (50,000+), restaurants and other food services (32,000+),
landscaping services (15,000+), child day care services (10,000) and
grocery stores (9,000+).
The mass layoffs of 250,000 TPS recipients would cost employers
approximately $967 million in immediate turnover costs.
The revocation of TPS status would cost the U.S. an estimated $164
billion in Gross Domestic Product.
Revocation of TPS status would result in a loss of $6.9 billion in
Social Security and Medicare payments over a decade.
Given that 30% of TPS recipients are homeowners, the consequences of
simultaneously dumping 60,000 mortgages could disrupt housing markets
across the country including Texas (13,000 mortgages), Florida (5,000+
mortgages) and Virginia (4,100 mortgages).
Mass deportations of TPS recipients would cost taxpayers more than $3
billion dollars.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague, my fellow Texan,
for her eloquence in laying out the issues with the Republican tax
plan.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans), my
friend and colleague, for being here. I thank the gentleman for always
offering his insight on these matters. I know that, in addition, just
like the gentlewoman from Texas, that he is open to a broad array of
topics. I appreciate any insight the gentleman wants to give us on tax
reform or any of the other issues that the American public wants to
hear from their congressional representatives on this day.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans).
Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the great State of
Texas. He has consistently done a very great job in leading these
efforts for the Congressional Black Caucus, as well as our chairman,
Cedric Richmond.
Mr. Speaker, this is an interesting time that we are in, obviously,
in the country, and it is a rather challenging time. Mr. Speaker, I
would like to let
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you know, last year this time, on November 14, 2016, I was sworn in. So
I have been here for 1 year, Mr. Speaker. In that 1 year, when I stood
in this well of this House, I talked about the importance of putting
country first and moving America forward.
I said at that particular time that I thought it was extremely
important that we work together, and all my colleagues, at that time,
from Pennsylvania, stood with me, Democrats and Republicans alike. I
talked in this well of the House on November 14, 2016, about the need
to concentrate on the people first; that I thought it was extremely
essential that we understood that we should talk about the issues that
are most important to people and not what is important to us; that we
now are in a governance mode, not a political mode.
There will be time to have discussions about political next year, but
this particular time we need to put people first.
Mr. Speaker, our country has not seen bipartisan tax reform since
1986, and that was when President Reagan was President of the United
States, and Speaker Tip O'Neill was Speaker of this House.
I think it is safe to say, the U.S. Tax Code is in need of major
facelifting. But let me make it very clear when I say the way the
Republican Party and the Trump administration are going about tax
reform is all wrong.
One of my main priorities in Congress is to help keep moving the city
of Philadelphia forward. The Republican tax bill impedes our ability to
move our city forward. At a time when older cities and suburbs are
pressed for funding, this destructive tax plan is yet another way the
Republican Party is taking resources from our cities.
What do I mean by this?
On Friday past, Mr. Speaker, I joined with the mayor of the city of
Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney; the city council president, Darrell
Clarke; Congressman Bob Brady; and HELP USA to hold a press conference
to call attention to how our neighborhoods would be hard hit by this
Republican tax plan.
We stood in front of what used to be a school building in
Philadelphia, but has now been transformed into a supportive housing
facility that will soon house 37 veterans and individuals aged 55 and
older. It is these kinds of investments and transformations that will
move our neighborhoods forward that are at stake under the GOP tax
plan. We have a lot to lose under the Republican tax plan.
Mr. Speaker, you may recall that the President, at that time,
Candidate Trump, went to the city of Philadelphia and asked,
specifically targeted to the African-American community: ``What do you
have to lose?'' That is what he said.
He talked about the schools. He talked about the neighborhoods. He
talked about all of the challenges that we face in urban America and,
particularly, to the African-American community.
So, Mr. President, we have a lot to lose under the Republican tax
plan. The repeal of private activity bonds would be devastating for
hospitals--I have a number of hospitals in my district. Temple
University, Einstein, Lankenau, University of Penn, Saint Joseph's
University--universities, and other nonprofit institutions in
Philadelphia and Montgomery County who depend on these bonds and rely
on public-private partnerships to address critical infrastructure
needs, finance valued projects, and ensure affordable housing.
The list of harmful provisions in this bait-and-switch tax bill goes
on and on.
I just received a letter from Chairwoman Val Arkoosh and Vice Chair
Ken Lawrence of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. They
wrote to me to tell me how residents in Montgomery County are alarmed
by what is happening in this tax bill. They are extremely concerned
about the fate of the State and local tax deductions. Without SALT,
taxpayers are going to be feel an extreme tax hike. They are extremely
concerned about the fate of the State and local tax deductions because
this will have an extreme impact on local government.
That is just not right, Mr. Speaker.
Just the other day, I spoke with local labor leaders who expressed
their great concerns on this tax scam. Mr. Speaker, that is true, it is
a tax scam. It is something where jobs will continue to go overseas,
not to our communities.
In a district that has 27 percent poverty in the Second Congressional
District, I am truly concerned about the loss of jobs. They are
incredibly fearful of what this plan means to the lives of hardworking
families across our Commonwealth. They know it is going to be too many
of their families who are going to be among those hit the hardest.
Mr. Speaker, remember what I said when I got elected and sworn in. I
said that we need to put people first. This tax scam does not put
people first.
These are the stories, fears, and concerns of real people in our
neighborhood. These are the people we should be concerned with. These
are the people on the front line; people who have serious questions
about the intentions of this tax plan.
What is the Republicans' response?
To push it through for a win. Let me repeat that. To push it through
for a win. That is wrong and unacceptable.
We are in the business of building a stronger tomorrow for our
students, our seniors, our veterans, hardworking families, and all who
call our neighborhoods home.
Instead of taking away more resources from our cities and suburbs, we
should be looking for ways to build, invest, and enhance the existing
infrastructure our cities have to offer to make them what they are, to
attract prospective home buyers and current homeowners. Let me repeat
that. We should be looking for making ways more attractive to
prospective home buyers and current homeowners.
Mr. Speaker, we have a real opportunity here to make a difference.
Again, I am happy to be a part of the Congressional Black Caucus under
Chairman Richmond's leadership, as well as Mr. Veasey, in leading this
effort because this is the kind of effort that we have to raise the
consciousness and convince people they must resist.
We must resist, no matter what they say the numbers are, and keep our
voices loud so that they can hear that we are not accepting what is
taking place here.
Mr. Speaker, I stand here with my colleagues expressing the concern
and the outrage that I have about this tax scam. This is not about the
people. This is about the interest groups. We have a chance to make a
change, Mr. Speaker, and we need to work together.
I said almost 1 year ago on this day, in this well of this House,
that the only way we can move America forward is when we work together.
I don't say that just to be saying it. I say it because that is what I
did when I was in the Pennsylvania Legislature, working together to
make a difference. That is the only way we are going to move the
needle, when people work together.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for laying
out those concerns about the tax plan, and he did so very eloquently. I
always appreciate the gentleman's participation.
Kind of building on what the gentleman talked about, I just want to
give the American public out there and the constituents that we
represent in the Congressional Black Caucus just a quick outline of who
exactly this plan will hurt.
I am very concerned about this terrible tax plan because it is going
to cut rates for the highest 1 percent of earners and corporations,
while increasing the tax burden on lower and middle class families,
while the Republicans are falsely going around claiming that they are
going to be helping these individuals and these families. That is just
not the case. That is not the case at all.
For example, let me give you one area that has been touched upon that
I am concerned about, and that is State and local taxes. You won't be
eligible any longer for the deduction, which means many individuals end
up paying twice the amount of taxes on the same income.
The elimination of deductions for student loan payments: we have
talked extensively on this House floor, on the Democratic side, about
what students loans are doing to this country and the costs of a higher
education. We know that a lot of people seek out higher education just
because of the benefits that it can yield incomewise, and everybody is,
again, always trying to see
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how they are going to live that American Dream. They want to be able to
pay their taxes, pay their car payment, pay their house note, whatever
it may happened to be. When you look at the fact that people won't be
able to write off their student loans to help pay for their education
anymore, that is really going to hurt and probably convince a lot of
young people that they just shouldn't seek out higher education.
{time} 2015
We want young people to seek out a higher education. I mean, even the
blue-collar jobs out there we know are becoming harder and harder to
keep and maintain, and they require some form of education. Even going
to community college for a couple years after they graduate from high
school almost seems to be something that they have to do.
The Center for American Progress found that 78 percent of Black
students, in comparison to 57 percent of White students, took out
Federal loans for their undergraduate studies. And again, just not
being able to write those off means that dream that everyone has,
regardless of race, being able to buy their first home, the American
Dream, they are going to have to put that off because they can no
longer pay off these very costly student loan interest payments. These
tax deduction eliminations are going to be very troubling for so many
people in the community in light of the fight just to build
generational wealth.
Again, these trickle-down tactics, we have been talking about
trickle-down economics now for a very long time, but some of these
trickle-down tactics are proving not to work, and it is disheartening
to see the finish line just being moved again and again, just over and
over again. Every time people seem like they are doing better, just to
see that finish line moved once again and making it just hard on these
families that I talked about earlier that fall in those lower middle
class, working class, middle class tax brackets.
You are talking about, when you look at this really closely, the
restructuring of these tax brackets under the Republican plan would
make it so that the lowest income earners' tax rates are going to
increase from 10 to 12 percent, the lowest earners out there. Some of
the poorest amongst us will have their tax burden increased, and it
will make it so much more difficult for them to climb that economic
ladder of opportunity. It is already hard to climb that ladder of
opportunity.
Just think about it for just a minute, if you have two kids and you
have a 10 percent tax burden, and you are making a small amount of
money a year but you are out there working hard every day. You are
trying to get overtime. You are punching the clock as much as you
possibly can. You are having Grandma watch the kids just so you can
pull that extra shift to get those hours in, but you are a single mom
and you are just really out there just busting it each and every day,
week after week, and you still don't have any money in the bank. You
are still having a hard time making ends meet. You are still getting
rent notices put on the door once a month. It is just so tough, and
just to know that we are not really going to be doing anything at all
in this body. The Republicans aren't going to be doing anything to help
these individuals be able to climb out of that hole and just be able to
see the light. Just knowing that that mom and those kids are going to
probably struggle under this tax plan until the kids leave the house,
it is just really disheartening.
In addition to that, even the tax provisions that are aimed at
helping working families are actually reserved, again, for just the
wealthiest few in the community.
White House Republicans highlight their expansion of the child tax
credit. Many of the lowest income parents who are in need of assistance
will only be eligible to receive a partial amount of the tax credit, if
any of the expansion at all.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the GOP
child tax credit keeps the lowest income workers from benefiting from
the expansion of the credit, despite numerous studies finding that the
child tax credits benefit children by improving school performance,
higher college enrollment, and increasing earnings in adulthood.
Further, this tax plan refuses to take the interests of African-
American communities as a whole into consideration, ensuring those who
are striving to reach the American Dream will simply fall short.
Again, there is just so much in this bill that is going to be tough.
You are talking about repealing the estate tax. There are so many
people whom I have heard--Rockefellers, Buffetts, Bill Gates, and
others--who are saying that they are fine paying that, that they are
absolutely okay with paying that. You think about what we are going to
take away from people so they don't have to pay that estate tax. I
mean, it is just amazing.
You have heard so many of my colleagues talk about it earlier here,
but when you start talking about the local and State tax deductions,
when you start talking about the student loan deductions that people
really count on, when you start talking about child tax credits, when
you start talking about new market tax credits, so many programs and so
many things out there that are really helping individuals, helping our
economy, and we want to give it back so a few wealthy people don't have
to pay estate taxes? I mean, it is just really sad, Mr. Speaker, when
you think about that.
One of the things that I think that we ought to do, instead of giving
ultrarich people a pass on paying a billion dollars that they can pass
down to heirs, is that we ought to start thinking about doing something
to help grandparents who are raising grandchildren.
I will never forget, when I was in the State legislature, I had a
principal come up to me on the house floor, and I was showing the
kids--I believe it was on the senate floor. We had walked to the other
side. And there is a picture of the Battle of San Jacinto that hangs
there in Austin at the capitol, and I was showing the schoolchildren,
and the principal pulled me aside and she said: I want to thank you for
talking about grandparents who are raising grandchildren.
She said: Over 50 percent of the kids at the elementary school where
I am principal are raised by someone other than their parent, and 99
percent of the time it is the grandparent.
Instead of giving superrich people, ultrarich people a pass on paying
the inheritance tax, why don't we give grandparents who serve as
primary caregivers for their grandchildren out there a $500 refundable
tax credit? That would help out so much, because you have to think
about what these grandparents are facing.
They didn't think that their Social Security check or their pension
check was going to have to be used to help pay for school supplies,
help pay for school clothes, help pay for backpacks, help pay for
school uniforms, help pay for kids' haircuts, prom dresses. The
grandparents of America out there are really balancing a lot now, more
than any other generation of grandparents have.
We could take the money that we are going to give away to the Bill
Gateses and the Warren Buffetts and the Rockefellers and other folks
like that, and we could give it to these grandparents, grandparents who
represent people from every congressional district in this country.
Oftentimes, you start talking about grandparents who are raising
grandchildren, there has been some kind of issue with drugs or alcohol
in the kids' parents' life or some other reason why the parents can't
take care of the kids. We know that that is true, particularly with the
issues that we have had with the opioid crisis. We know that this is an
area that is growing in all congressional districts, all races, all
backgrounds.
Again, why not give our grandparents out there that are buying
backpacks with their Social Security check, why not give them a $500
refundable tax credit to help them make ends meet? If we were to do
that, these grandparents would be able to have a little bit more money
to buy healthier foods instead of buying processed foods. They could
buy fruits, vegetables, other things like that that could really go a
long way in just helping them maintain their household.
That is what I am eager to do. I want to sit down with colleagues and
come up with something that is fair. I think
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that everybody here that I have talked to has said that they want to
work in a bipartisan manner to be able to pass a tax reform bill that
is fair, that is done under regular order, that is done with
transparency and done in the light, but the way that this is happening,
it is just not right.
We know, again, that these trickle-down economics just simply do not
work, and we need to start all over. We need to head back to the
drawing board and sit down as Democrats and Republicans like they did
back in the eighties when Reagan was President and Tip O'Neill was
Speaker and work out some of these issues that the American public has.
We know that people are very anxious about some of the things that
they have been hearing about this tax reform bill, people from all
congressional districts and, again, all backgrounds. We in the
Congressional Black Caucus, we are concerned about the impact that this
is going to have in the African-American communities around this
country--and all of the communities, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker.
Again, let's just sit down at the drawing board, talk about some of
these things, and come up with something that is fair that the American
public can feel good about, knowing that Members of Congress, that they
are not trying to gain advantage over one another, that we are trying
to come up with a fair way how to reform our Tax Code, keep our
businesses here, and keep a little bit more money in people's pockets
at the end of the week or the end of the month, whenever they get paid,
so they can take care of their families and buy a home, take care of
their grandkids, do whatever it is they need to do in order to make
ends meet.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for this evening, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
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