releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=99D99DBD-51E2-46E3-AA81-2DF2F945448D
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=99D99DBD-51E2-46E3-AA81-2DF2F945448D | Heitkamp: Republican Tax Bill is Full of Broken Promises | 2017-12-20 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today voted against the House-Senate Republican tax bill because it will impact North Dakotans by increasing the debt by nearly $1.5 trillion, raising costs for most middle income families in the long-term, and not growing the economy or creating jobs in the way Republicans say it will. Yesterday, Heitkamp joined a local tax attorney, small business owner, senior citizen, farmer, and the president of the North Dakota Building and Construction Trades Council in Fargo to explain how the bill will hurt North Dakotans in the long-term. As North Dakotas former tax commissioner, I know taxes are complicated, and Ive wanted to work on a bill that cuts taxes for working men and women who need a break, said Heitkamp. In fact, Ive been almost begging Republicans to work with me on a bipartisan bill that could serve North Dakota. I held meetings in North Dakota on tax reform, and met with top White House officials, including the president, on the issue. Unfortunately, I never got a seat at the table, nor did many others. As a result, it produced a partisan tax bill that hurts North Dakota and is full of broken promises to the American people. We were promised middle income tax cuts without cuts for the wealthy. But this bill gives huge, permanent tax cuts to corporations and millionaires while middle income families will see relatively modest cuts in the short-term and their costs go up in the long run. We were promised a fiscally responsible bill. But this bill charges nearly $1.5 trillion on a credit card account to our children and grandchildren without a plan to pay for it. We were promised a simpler tax code so we could file taxes on a postcard. But this bill makes the tax code even more confusing and more difficult for families to understand their tax liability. We were promised no loopholes. But this bill is full of loopholes for real estate moguls, private jet companies, and others, enabling large corporations and the wealthy to pay lower taxes. And we were promised a bill that would grow the economy. But experts and academics agree it wont boost the economy the way Republicans say it will, and many executives have said they will use corporate tax cuts to pad their shareholders profits, not create jobs or boost wages. Congress cant build a successful bill if it is quickly crafted behind closed doors without input from both parties. I know that because Ive crafted many bipartisan bills that serve North Dakota including lifting the ban on exporting oil, finding a viable path forward for coal, and giving community banks and credit unions relief. Those bills didnt happen overnight they took good faith negotiations, compromises from all sides, and a mutual effort to work across the aisle. That didnt happen here. And it shows. Every day, I come to work in the U.S. Senate to fight for North Dakota and rural America. Sadly, this bill leaves them behind. The Republican tax bill will explode the countrys debt, adding nearly $1.5 trillion on the nations credit card and thats before accounting for various budget gimmicks forcing those huge costs onto future generations. On top of that, academics and conservative experts have concluded that under the bill, the countrys debt will grow much faster than the economy. And, the Republican tax bill wont grow the economy or create jobs in the way Republicans say it will, as many large companies have said they will pass most tax savings on to shareholders, and not use the majority of the tax cuts to create jobs or boost wages. The Republican bill will also specifically impact many North Dakotans: Middle income families: The bill provides permanent tax cuts to corporations and large tax cuts for the wealthy, while middle income families lose out in the long-term because the relatively modest tax cuts they initially receive will expire after 2025. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the net effect of all individual provisions in the tax reform bill will raise taxes on individuals by a total of $83 billion in 2027. On the other hand, businesses will get a $49.4 billion tax cut that same year. Small businesses: The bill will widen the gap between large and small businesses, just as it will between wealthy individuals and middle income individuals. According to a group of 13 tax law experts from December 7, the bill will essentially punish smaller businesses that cant afford to pay high priced tax attorneys and accountants to exploit loopholes and glitches in the rules.The largest loopholes enable the wealthy to declare their income as business income to benefit from the new lower corporate tax rates. And because of the loopholes, the bill enables businesses to effectively hide income overseas and it could lead to companies shifting American jobs abroad. Seniors: According to AARP, the bill will provide a large tax cut for corporations while raising taxes and health care premiums for millions of older Americans. It will also drastically increase the nations debt by nearly $1.5 trillion, which could lead to $400 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years, and slash other programs that support seniors. Farmers and ranchers: Middle income families across rural America, including many farmers, will lose out under the bill as the temporary, relatively modest tax decreases they receive will disappear after 2025, while the wealthy and corporations will reap permanent rewards. Additionally, the huge cost of the tax reform bill could require Congress to pay for it by reducing spending elsewhere. Such action could lead to $20 billion in cuts to vital agriculture programs and hinder the negotiation of the 2018 Farm Bill. The bill also adds complexity and uncertainty for farmers because the full expensing provisions will expire in 2022 and the favored pass through rates will expire by 2025. Millennials: The structure of the tax bill will be particularly devastating for young men and women entering the workforce who will face a nearly $1.5 trillion bill in the next 10 years, just as they are entering their prime working years.Although millennials will be paying for these tax cuts, they wont see much in terms of tax reductions because these cuts are geared toward higher earning workers who are more developed in their careers. And by the time most millennials will be entering into their prime earning years, the tax cuts will be completely phased out.At the same time, millennials will face higher tax brackets because the tax bill will permanently index tax brackets to a lower rate of inflation, resulting in more middle class income going into higher brackets over time.Finally, provisions in this tax bill will do little to address the myriad of challenges young Americans face, from higher education and housing costs to a lack of retirement planning. Heitkamp has long said she wants to work with Republicans and Democrats on tax reform that supports workers, families, and retirees, while growing the economy and remaining fiscally responsible. In September and October, she held four listening sessions across the state to get feedback from North Dakotans about what they wanted to see in a tax reform bill. She joined President Trump during his visit to North Dakota on tax reform. She also met with him and a bipartisan group of senators at the White House in September on the issue. And she joined a dinner with a bipartisan group of senators at the home of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump in October to discuss tax reform. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |