Press Releases

Today, Congressman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued the following statement on the passage of the “morally bankrupt” Republican tax bill. Republicans passed the bill this afternoon by a vote of 227-205.

“This tax bill reflects just how morally bankrupt the Republican Party has become. In order to pay for tax cuts for corporations and one percenters like President Trump, the bill eliminates middle-class tax breaks that help average Americans make ends meet.

•It repeals tax breaks that help graduates pay off student loans.
•It repeals tax breaks that help teachers buy school supplies and instructional material.
•It repeals a tax break that helps families afford medical expenses for life-saving treatments.
•It repeals an entire federal program that drives private investment into underserved communities.
•It repeals a tax break that helps businesses hire veterans.
•It repeals a tax break that prevents double taxing of hardworking families at the state and local level while providing critical funding for first responders, and the list goes on. 
•It could also lead to a $25 billion cut to programs like Medicare. 

“If all of this wasn’t enough, the tax bill would raise taxes on 36 million middle-class families. In addition, Republicans in the Senate are trying to add an Obamacare repeal provision to their version of the tax bill – continuing President Trump’s efforts to strip healthcare away from millions of Americans, many of whom have affordable coverage for the first time because of Obamacare.  

“The Congressional Black Caucus will never turn its back on our first responders, teachers, seniors, veterans, students, small business owners, families, and underserved communities; folks that this bill will devastate. We must continue to raise our voices to ensure that this tax bill doesn’t become law.”