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Thune’s SD SIte
The Leader Board • Remarks
September 17th, 2026

The Republican Party Is the Only Party Delivering More Money in Americans’ Pockets

Last Year, Republicans Overcame United Democrat Opposition and Enacted the Working Families Tax Cuts Law to Prevent a Multi-Trillion-Dollar Tax Increase on Americans

AT THE END OF 2025, TAXES ON ALL AMERICANS WERE SET TO RISE DUE TO THE EXPIRATION OF REPUBLICANS’ 2017 TAX CUTS

  • “The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [TCJA] backed by then-President Donald Trump contained tax cuts—lower rates, a bigger standard deduction, a larger child tax credit, business tax breaks and relief from the alternative minimum tax.” (The Wall Street Journal: Where Taxes Would Rise the Most if Trump’s Tax Cuts Expire – 9/1/24)
  • “If Congress doesn’t act by the end of 2025, income taxes will go up for most households. An analysis by the Tax Foundation shows that, on average, taxes would rise in every single county in the country—urban or rural, wealthy or poor…” (The Wall Street Journal: Where Taxes Would Rise the Most if Trump’s Tax Cuts Expire – 9/1/24)
  • “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered taxes for most U.S. households, experts said. The legislation was broad, benefiting Americans across the income spectrum…”  (CNBC: ‘Reverse Robin Hood scam’ or windfall for middle class? Lawmakers debate Trump tax plan extensions – 3/3/25)
    • “The TCJA cut taxes more for working families than rich families on a proportional basis.”
    • “The bottom 50% of Americans saw their average federal tax rate fall by 15% from 2017 to 2018, after the Trump tax cut took effect.”
    • “By contrast, the top 1% saw their average rate decline by a lesser percentage (about 5%) during that period.”  (CNBC: ‘Reverse Robin Hood scam’ or windfall for middle class? Lawmakers debate Trump tax plan extensions – 3/3/25)
  • The expiration of this successful tax cutting legislation would have left Americans paying more in taxes and less able to withstand higher prices:
    • “[L]etting the tax reforms lapse would result in a $4 trillion tax increase in 2026…” (The Wall Street Journal: Editorial: Republicans Reconcile on Taxes – 2/14/25)
    • The standard deduction, which nearly 90% of taxpayers claim, and reduces a taxpayer’s taxable income, would have been cut roughly in half.  (Tax Foundation: Nearly 90 Percent of Taxpayers Are Projected to Take the TCJA’s Expanded Standard Deduction – 9/26/18)
    • A family of four making $80,000 would have seen a $1,700 tax increase if the TCJA expired. (White House: Here’s What Happens if Trump Tax Cuts Aren’t Extended – 4/10/25)
    • The child tax credit would have returned to $1,000 per child, down from the TCJA level of $2,000. (Bloomberg Government: Will Trump and Congress Extend TCJA Tax Cuts? – 2/20/25)

BUT LAST SUMMER, AS PART OF THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS LAW, REPUBLICANS PREVENTED THIS TAX HIKE AND LET AMERICANS KEEP EVEN MORE OF THEIR HARD-EARNED MONEY

  • In July 2025, Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts law, which prevented this $4+ trillion tax hike from taking effect at the end of the year. (H.R. 1: Roll Call Vote #372 – 7/1/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Finance: Working Families Tax Cuts – accessed 9/17/26)
  • This law benefitted nearly every American taxpayer and lowered taxes even more from the 2017 TCJA tax bill:
    • “Congress boosted [the standard deduction] by $750, to $15,750 for single filers; and by $1,500, to $31,500 for married couples filing jointly.” (CNN: Why federal tax refunds may be bigger than usual – 1/26/26)
    • “Over 127 million filers (90% of all tax filers) have claimed the permanently doubled standard deduction, simplifying tax filing for millions across America.” (U.S. Department of the Treasury: New Analysis: The Working Families Tax Cuts Delivers the Largest Share of Tax Relief to American Families and Workers – 6/2/26)
  • In addition to preventing a tax increase, the Working Families Tax Cuts resulted in 97% of taxpayers receiving an additional tax cut this past filing season. (U.S. Department of the Treasury: New Analysis: The Working Families Tax Cuts Delivers the Largest Share of Tax Relief to American Families and Workers – 6/2/26)
    • “96% of filers receiving a tax cut earned less than $200,000.” (U.S. Department of the Treasury: New Analysis: The Working Families Tax Cuts Delivers the Largest Share of Tax Relief to American Families and Workers – 6/2/26)
    • “Filers earning between $50,000 to $100,000, who claimed one of President Trump’s signature tax cuts, received an average tax cut that is over $815.” (U.S. Department of the Treasury: New Analysis: The Working Families Tax Cuts Delivers the Largest Share of Tax Relief to American Families and Workers – 6/2/26)
    • “Filers earning between $100,000 to $200,000, who claimed one of President Trump’s signature tax cuts, received an average tax cut of over $1,250.” (U.S. Department of the Treasury: New Analysis: The Working Families Tax Cuts Delivers the Largest Share of Tax Relief to American Families and Workers – 6/2/26)

EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS, AND DEMOCRATS ARE PROMISING TO FIGHT FOR MORE TAX HIKES AND A SUPERSIZED IRS IN THE FUTURE

  • Every single Democrat voted against this historic tax relief, and they continue to call the Working Families Tax Cuts law a “scam.” (H.R. 1: Roll Call Vote #372 – 7/1/25; Senate Democrats: Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Slamming President Trump’s Disastrous Tax Polices Ahead Of His Visit To Las Vegas – 4/16/26)
  • “Believe it or not, [Democrats] are showing across the country that they want to raise taxes:” (The Wall Street Journal: Editorial: Democrats Are on a Taxing Binge – 3/22/26)
    • Virginia: “Despite campaigning on making life more affordable for Virginians, Democratic lawmakers in Richmond introduced more than 50 new taxes and tax increases this month during the General Assembly session.” (WJLA: Virginia Democratic leader responds to outrage about tax increase proposals – 1/30/26)
    • California: Many Democrat leaders are supporting a referendum “to impose a 5% wealth tax on residents with more than $1 billion in net worth… The tax would even be levied on illusory assets. Silicon Valley investors who own super-voting shares in a company would be taxed on their voting rights, rather than the value of their shares. A startup founder could be required to pay tax on the 25% of voting rights he controls even if he only owns 5% of shares.” (The Wall Street Journal: Editorial: Democrats Are on a Taxing Binge – 3/22/26)
    • New York: “Albany Democrats are proposing income, corporate and real-estate tax hikes to fund more welfare and public-worker benefits. The Assembly wants to raise the top state-and-local income-tax rate to 15.9% from 14.8%, and the Senate to 15.3%. Democrats also want to raise the state top corporate tax rate and let New York City raise its rate. That would make the top business tax rate nearly 20% in New York City.” (The Wall Street Journal: Editorial: Democrats Are on a Taxing Binge – 3/22/26)
  • And in Congress, Democrats are pledging to supersize the IRS:
    • “Senators are introducing legislation that would provide tens of billions of dollars funding to the IRS, undoing a series of clawbacks. The legislation… would provide the agency over $83 billion in mandatory funding through Fiscal Year 2031, reversing both recissions to funding initially provided in Democrats’ 2022 tax-and-climate law and discretionary spending cuts to the IRS.” (Bloomberg: IRS Funding Clawbacks Would Be Reversed Under Senators’ Bill – 4/15/26)
    • “The push to restore roughly $83 billion that’s largely been clawed back since Democrats set aside a similar pot of money in their 2022 tax-and-climate law indicates the party still sees the agency as integral to its tax-the-rich ambitions.” (Bloomberg: Democrats Push to Restore $83 Billion in Clawed-Back IRS Funds – 7/20/26)
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