By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Thursday, September 28, 2017, Congressional Republicans unveiled their highly-anticipated tax reform plan. U.S. Representative Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, attended the House GOP summit to discuss the joint House, Senate, and White House plan to overhaul the nation’s complicated tax code. Roby explained the basics of the tax reform legislation set to be considered in the House over the next few weeks. Roby said that tax reform represents a tremendous opportunity to move this country ahead and will allow you to keep more of your money.
Congresswoman Roby said, “I spent most of the day meeting with my Republican colleagues discussing a plan to fix our broken tax code. It was a productive meeting, and the message I would relay to those I represent is simple: We want to cut your taxes so that you keep more of your hard-earned money in your pocket.”
Roby continued, “For decades, Americans have been sold this idea that if we only pay more and more in taxes, the government will take care of our every need. I don’t believe that. When it comes to using money wisely to take care of everyday needs, I trust the people far more than I trust the government. That’s why conservatives are moving forward with a tax reform plan over the next few weeks, with the goal of getting legislation to the President’s desk this year.”
Roby said that the plan would, “Lower tax rates for every taxpayer so that Americans can keep and invest more of what they earn. Again, you should be able to keep more of your money in your pocket.”
Roby said the plan would also, “Lower business tax rates so we can be globally competitive while closing the loopholes put in place for corporations to avoid paying these high tax rates we currently have. Many small businesses pay as much as 44 percent in taxes? That amounts to more than almost anywhere in the world, and it keeps business operators from being able to hire new employees, give raises to existing ones, and expand their operations.”
Roby said finally the GOP plan would, “Simplify the tax code and clean house at the IRS to make it an agency that works for taxpayers, not against them. For far too long, our complicated tax code and the agency that is trusted to enforce it has worked to benefit the government at the expense of the people, and its time to change that.”
The conservative Alabama Congresswoman said, “Ultimately, our goal is to overhaul the tax code to make it simpler, fairer, and flatter. I’m ready to get this done. It’s time to deliver some meaningful results for the American people. It’s no secret that I have been very frustrated by the Senate’s failure pass legislation, including our Obamacare repeal bill. We can’t change the past, but I hope we can learn from it and press on. Tax reform represents a tremendous opportunity to move this country ahead, and as your voice in Congress, I’m committed to getting it done.”
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, agrees. The Speaker said, “Now more than ever, the hardworking people of this country deserve a simple and fair tax code that is pro-growth and pro-family. Here are five ways our plan delivers: People in the middle, and people striving to get there, have just been getting more and more squeezed. Our plan shrinks the current seven tax brackets into three–12%, 25%, and 35%–and roughly doubles the standard deduction, which means more income will not be taxed at all. We are significantly increasing the child tax credit too. With these changes, middle-class families will be able to keep more of their paycheck.”
Speaker Ryan continued, “The tax code is riddled with exemptions and pet provisions for the well-connected. Our plan does away with special interest loopholes, making things fairer for everyone. This will help unrig our economy, allow us to lower your tax rates, and rewire the system to expand opportunity for more Americans trying to get ahead.”
Ryan added, “You are probably sick of filling out long forms after reading even longer instructions for how to fill them out. Our plan will so dramatically simplify the code that most of you will be able to do your taxes on a form the size of a postcard.” The Speaker said, “Small businesses bear the brunt of government red tape and regulations. If that weren’t enough, the top tax rate on successful small businesses is sky-high. That’s a real gut punch. Our plan limits the maximum tax rate for small and family-owned businesses to 25 percent—a new, significantly lower rate than what they pay today.”
Speaker Ryan stated, “America’s tax code is so broken that it is enabling the drain of jobs and capital overseas. We want more products made in America by American workers. Our plan will level the playing field for American companies and workers, so they can bring jobs home and get America back to the front of the pack.”
Congresswoman Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She is serving in her fourth term in the Congress.