Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Today’s Senate Vote To Advance The Bipartisan Tax Relief For American Families And Workers Act

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on today’s  vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today, the Senate has the chance to move forward on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.

Democrats are ready to vote yes to advance bipartisan legislation today.

The question is: will Senate Republicans join us to give Americans a tax break, or will they stand in the way?

This tax bill passed the House with an overwhelming vote of 357-70. It won majorities of both parties. It was led in the House by the Republican Chair of Ways and Means, Congressman Smith, hardly a liberal. So, we know this is a good and broadly bipartisan bill. For people who say this is not bipartisan, go look at the House.

Everyone in Congress is on board except Senate Republicans. Unfortunately, it seems like Senate Republicans plan to vote no today.

Even House Republicans managed to unite long enough to pass this bill. With great respect to Senate Republicans, it’s never a good sign to be more obstructionists than Republicans in the House.

Senate Republicans love to talk about how they are the party of family and business, so it’s very odd to see them come out so aggressively against expanding the Child Tax Credit and rewarding businesses with the R&D tax credit. But that seems to be what they are doing.

Instead of jumping at the opportunity to get this tax bill done, some Senate Republicans are organizing against tax relief. You heard that right: Senate Republicans are organizing against tax relief. Some of them were passing out leaflets at their lunch smearing the bill.

Here’s one of the nonsensical arguments Senate Republicans made against this tax bill: you don’t dare pass it, they said, because God forbid it actually helps American families, and then Democrats will get some credit.

Can you believe that? Does that sound like a pro-family party? I don’t think so.

Instead of focusing on the election, Republicans maybe should focus more on the fact that this bill actually helps families.

If this bill becomes law, half a million kids would come out of poverty.

Sixteen million kids from low income households would see benefits increase.

Business owners that invest in R&D and buy new equipment would see more money coming back to them, leading to more jobs – good-paying jobs.

And the housing crisis in America would ease – one of our biggest crises, housing costs – by expanding the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, something I deeply cared about and urged be put in the bill. I’m glad it’s there.

And of course, communities devastated by natural disasters – we’ve seen so many of them across the country in the last few weeks – they’d get greater relief.

So, thank you to all my colleagues who worked hard on this bill: Chairman Wyden for his leadership, everyone on the Finance Committee, as well as Senators Brown and Casey and Bennet and Cantwell and Hassan and so many others.

The ball is in Senate Republicans’ court. Senate Republicans can either choose bipartisanship and get this bill done now, or they can choose partisanship and leave families hanging out to dry.

And I just want to note: this so often become the M.O. of our Republicans in the House, Senate, and the presidency when we do something good and strong that Americans support in a bipartisan way – that most Republicans support. They say don't pass it because it will benefit Democrats in the election. Donald Trump has said it repeatedly on border. We’ve seen it recently on crypto, we’ve seen it on so many other issues. That is not the way to help the American people. That is not the way to govern.

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