10.05.17

Budget ‘Essential’ For Tax Reform

‘It Is Crucial That A Budget Resolution Is Swiftly Passed So That Tax Reform Efforts Can Move Forward’

Budget Resolution Is The ‘Critical First Step To Advance A Tax Overhaul To Turn Our Nation’s Economic Tide’

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “Later today, [Sen. Enzi] will lead his committee in marking up a comprehensive budget for Fiscal Year 2018 that will help our country achieve balance by reining in federal spending. It will also help our economy grow, and one of the ways it will do so is by providing legislative tools to advance tax reform. I thank the Budget Committee for all of its good work so far, and I look forward to its continued efforts to get our fiscal house in order and our economy back on a path to solid growth…” (Sen. McConnell, Press Release, 10/4/2017)

SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MIKE ENZI (R-WY): “Our nation needs a simpler, fairer, and more transparent tax system that will leave more dollars in the pockets of working families… This budget will put in motion a process for pro-growth reform that will cut taxes on American families and job creators by a net $1.5 trillion over 10 years.  In addition to keeping more money in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers, such reform done right will spur investment and reinvigorate productivity here at home.” (U.S. Senate Budget Committee, Press Release, 10/04/2017)

  • SEN. ENZI: “While the Senate budget is first and foremost about reforming the tax code, it is also a serious fiscal plan… If Congress and the Administration can adhere to this budget blueprint, we will be on a better fiscal track with a combination of restrained spending, reduced tax burdens, and a growing economy.” (U.S. Senate Budget Committee, Press Release, 10/04/2017)

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ORRIN HATCH (R-UT): “With this budget, the Senate has taken a critical first step to advance a tax overhaul to turn our nation’s economic tide. As the resolution moves through the Budget Committee next week, I’m confident Chairman Enzi and his committee members will work to preserve the Finance Committee’s reconciliation instructions to ensure we have the tools and flexibility we need to accomplish our shared goal of delivering strong, pro-growth tax reform to the American people.” (Sen. Hatch, Press Release, 9/29/2017)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): “Beginning today, the Senate Budget Committee will take the next step in our effort to enact pro-growth tax reform, this time by marking up a budget resolution. The Committee's work follows the release last week of our unified framework, the tax blueprint on how to create jobs and how to put more money back in the pockets of the hardworking Americans that earn it.” (Sen. Cornyn, Press Release, 10/04/2017)

JOB CREATORS: ‘It Is Essential That The House And Senate … Pass A Joint Budget Resolution [To] Set A Path For Successful Tax Reform’

OVER 235 JOBS GROUPS: “It has been 31 years since Congress last reformed the tax code. Since then, the code has become an anchor weighing down the economy, job creation, and wage growth for American families. This Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix the problem….  While much work remains to be done, we believe Congress is well-positioned to move forward with comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform. The single-most important next step is for Congress to adopt a budget resolution with reconciliation instructions that will permit tax reform to move forward without the threat of a filibuster.” (242 Associations, Letter to members of Congress, 9/28/2017)

  • Letter includes job creators from Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Alaska, North Dakota, Virginia, Nevada, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Montana and other states.

ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS Vice President Kristen Swearingen: “On behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) … I write to express ABC’s support for the Senate’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget Resolution and the upcoming markup of this crucial budget resolution in the Senate Committee on the Budget. With congressional and administration leaders’ recent release of the tax reform framework that would provide the first genuine reform of the tax code in a generation, it is essential that the House and Senate move forward to pass a joint budget resolution with reconciliation instructions and set a path for successful tax reform.” (Kristen Swearingen, Vice President, Legislative & Political Affairs, Associated Builders and Contractors, Letter to Sen. Enzi, 10/02/2017)

RETAIL INDUSTRY LEADERS ASSOCIATION Executive Vice President Jennifer M. Safavian: “The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) supports the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 concurrent budget resolution being voted on in Committee. A key component included in the budget resolution is reconciliation instructions that would facilitate the expeditious passage of comprehensive tax reform. Tax reform, which among other things, significantly reduces the corporate tax rate and reduces taxes on individual consumers, is critical to growing the economy and improving U.S. international competitiveness. Enactment of the FY 2018 budget is the first step towards making this a reality.” (Jennifer M. Safavian, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Letter to Sens. Enzi and Sanders 10/03/2017)

USTELECOM President and CEO Jonathan Spalter: “It has been 31 years since Congress last reformed the United States tax code. Since then, the code has become a confusing morass that has increasingly placed a drag on the nation’s economy, job creation and wage growth for American families. The nation’s broadband providers applaud recent efforts to advance comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform. We believe these efforts are critical to advancing world-leading broadband infrastructure and ensuring this essential modern connectivity—and the myriad opportunities that come with it—are within reach for all Americans…. Adopting a budget resolution that will permit tax reform to proceed is the critical next step in the process, and our country is counting on your leadership now to ensure it is taken in a timely manner.” (Jonathan Spalter, President and CEO, USTELECOM, Letter to Sen. Enzi, 10/03/2017)

CONSERVATIVE GROUPS: ‘It Is Crucial That A Budget Resolution Is Swiftly Passed So That Tax Reform Efforts Can Move Forward’

TWELVE CONSERVATIVE GROUPS: “On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write in support of efforts to pass comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform in 2017. In following with regular order, the first step toward achieving this goal must be passage of a budget resolution with reconciliation instructions that unlock tax reform…. [U]ntil Congress passes a budget resolution, tax writers will be unable to move forward through a regular order process as conservatives expect. As a result, it is crucial that a budget resolution is swiftly passed so that tax reform efforts can move forward.” (“Conservative Groups Urge Passage of Budget Resolution As First Step in Passing Tax Reform,” Letter to members of Congress, 9/28/2017)

Letter signed by:

  • Americans for Tax Reform
  • National Taxpayers Union
  • Americans for Prosperity
  • FreedomWorks
  • Faith & Freedom Coalition
  • Family Business Coalition
  • Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
  • American Commitment
  • Club for Growth
  • Taxpayers Protection Alliance
  • Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce
  • American Legislative Exchange Council

GROVER NORQUIST, Americans for Tax Reform President: “I write to urge committee passage of the FY 2018 budget resolution. It is imperative that tax reform is signed into law in 2017 and the first step toward achieving this goal must be passage of a budget resolution. All members of the Senate Budget Committee should vote ‘yes’ on this resolution to advance tax reform.” (Grover G. Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform, Letter to Sen. Enzi, 10/04/2017)

  • NORQUIST: “The tax reform plan released by Congressional leaders and the White House outlines a bold vision of pro-growth reform. Now, it is time to move forward through the legislative process to ensure this plan is signed into law. Step one toward achieving tax reform is passage of a budget resolution with reconciliation instructions that unlocks tax reform.” (Grover G. Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform, Letter to Sen. Enzi, 10/04/2017)

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY Vice President of External Affairs Chrissy Harbin: “On behalf of more than 3.2 million Americans for Prosperity activists in across all 50 states, we’re encouraged to see the ‘Big 6’ negotiators produce a tax plan framework that provides a principled approach to fixing the tax code. We’re encouraged to see the plan include reduce the burden of tax compliance and allow everyday Americans to keep more of their hard-earned income…. The next important step toward turning these important policy details into legislative text — and ultimately into law — is passing a budget resolution that includes reconciliation instructions for tax reform. We encourage you to do so.” (Chrissy Harbin, Vice President of External Affairs, Americans for Prosperity, Letter to members of Congress, 9/27/2017)

  • AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY: “Conservatives in Washington should not miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass tax reform.” (Chrissy Harbin, Vice President of External Affairs, Americans for Prosperity, Letter to members of Congress, 9/27/2017)

RATE Coalition: “As Co-Chairs of the Reforming America’s Taxes Equitably (RATE) Coalition … we are writing to applaud the path provided by your Committee to reduce the tax burden for all Americans. Critical to the once-in-a-generation opportunity before you, as recognized by a growing chorus of bipartisan leaders such as former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, is the need to make our broken tax code globally competitive…. As is evident, our corporate tax rate continues to cause our businesses to flee for cheaper shores abroad and our workers to take home less pay than they deserve. We therefore encourage the swift passage of your resolution to finally unlock tax reform, which will deliver a win for the American people.” (Elaine C. Kamarck and James Pinkerton, RATE Coalition Co-Chairs, Letter to Sens. Enzi and Sanders, 10/03/2017)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Tax Reform, Taxes, Middle Class, Jobs, Economy, Budget