{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-announces-senate-vote-economic-freedom-zones-amendment-energy-bill/", "Sen. Rand Paul Announces Senate Vote on \u201cEconomic Freedom Zones\u201d Amendment to Energy Bill", "2016-04-18", "2016", "2016-04", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "Biggest Anti-Poverty Initiative Since the War on Poverty if Passed\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Rand Paul today announced plans for the Senate to vote this week on his legislation, known as the Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2015. The legislation, S.790, will be voted on as an amendment to H.R. 2028, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.\n\nThe Economic Freedom Zones Act will establish free market enterprise zones and dramatically reduce taxes in order to help facilitate the creation of new jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities, enhance and renew educational opportunities and increase community involvement in bankrupt or economically distressed areas. These zones will apply to any zip code with unemployment greater than one and a half times the national average. Sen. Paul originally introduced the legislation for the 114th Congress in March 2015.\n\n\u201cEconomic Freedom Zones would be the largest anti-poverty initiative since the War on Poverty. There are many communities in our country, and throughout Kentucky, still waiting and praying for economic recovery and opportunity,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\n\u201cThe Economic Freedom Zones Act will allow impoverished areas to remove the shackles of big government by reducing taxes, regulations, and burdensome work requirements. By taking drastic, meaningful action, my legislation will create new jobs, get these communities back to work, and give Americans in these areas the chance to succeed. I am proud to have secured a vote on my proposal this week,\u201d Sen. Paul continued.\n\nTop-line bullet points and background information on the Economic Freedom Zones Act can be found HERE or below.\n\nBACKGROUND INFORMATION\n\nThe Economic Freedom Zone legislation will provide the following:\n\nImmediate Relief \u2013 The quickest way to spur economic recovery is to allow residents and successful businesses to keep more of the money they earn so they can more fully engage in economic activity. Economic Freedom Zones achieve this by:\n\nReducing the individual and corporate income tax to a single, flat rate of 5 percent;\n\nReducing payroll taxes by 2 percent for both the employer and employee, at no cost to the trust funds.\n\nMid-Term Reinvestment \u2013 The quickest way to spur economic recovery is to allow residents While tax cuts provide immediate relief, economic recovery also requires new investment in communities. Economic Freedom Zones empower both business and local government to make these critical investments by:\n\nAttracting Business\n\nDouble the amount of 100 percent expensing of all business investment costs;\n\nSuspending eligible capital gains taxes;\n\nSuspending EPA non-attainment designations in Economic Freedom Zone areas; and\n\nProviding municipalities option to waive certain land use restrictions.\n\nFreeing Municipalities to foster growth\n\nExempting eligible municipalities from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System requirements;\n\nStreamlining National Environmental Policy Act requirements for construction projects; and\n\nSuspend Davis-Bacon wage requirements.\n\nLong-Term Revitalization \u2013 For communities to thrive over the long-term, they need to develop and attract the best human capital possible. Economic Freedom Zones help build a 21st Century workforce made up of local talent while attracting new workers.\n\nProviding states with school choice options with Dept. of Education Title I portability funding for areas designated Economic Freedom Zones;\n\nProviding a new $5,000 per child educational tax credit to parents or guardians;\n\nEstablish new Economic Freedom Zone Charitable Tax Credit for entities in eligible areas for \u2013\n\nReligious organizations or institutions;\n\nEducational entities, including educational scholarships;\n\nHomeless shelters and food banks.\n\nEstablishing new Economic Freedom Zone Visa (at the State\u2019s discretion) \u2013\n\nEntrepreneurial investment: for qualified immigrants creating a new business and employing 5 U.S. citizens; and\n\nEducation performance needs: for qualified immigrants with a specialty degree or higher education qualification meeting Economic Freedom Zone needs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:49:20Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-announces-senate-vote-economic-freedom-zones-amendment-energy-bill/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8044510614126921, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}