Providing for Consideration of H.R. Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I wasn't going to speak today on the rule, but I am just so outraged when I hear people attacking States like mine and other States.

My State, the State of New York, is the largest single net donor to the Federal Government of any State in the United States of America. We send $48 billion a year more to the Federal Government than we get back. And to hear this talk about irresponsible States that are really subsidizing these other States of the speakers who have spoken from the other side today is just so irresponsible and so divisive in our Nation.

We talk about this bill, about restoring tax fairness, that is exactly what it is: tax fairness.

It is not fair that people are taxed on the taxes they have already paid.

It is not fair that State and local governments who pick up the garbage and plow the roads and protect our people and educate our children are being forced to have to worry about more money being used to subsidize the rest of the country.

It is not fair that this has been in place since 1913, and they want to try and change this covenant that has existed since the beginning of the Federal tax code. They want to change it at this time, and it is completely unfair.

Let me point out, with one last point, that 100 percent of this bill is paid for by the highest earners in the United States of America. One hundred percent is paid for by the highest earners.

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Mr. SUOZZI. If my colleagues are concerned about the wealthy getting too much, then have them increase the progressive tax even higher if that is what they really mean.

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Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I won't take a full minute.

Mr. Speaker, I want to first start by saying how much I respect and admire Mr. Cole, and I have worked closely with him on many issues.

I just want to make one point, though. So many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have been boasting about the fact that people are leaving States like mine to move to their States. That has been one of the effects of this tax bill by eliminating the State and local tax cap.

What happens when people leave my State and move to the Southwest or the Southeast?

They leave behind lower- and middle-income-tax people to pick up the bill.

They are trying to boast about the fact that our States, which are mature, industrial States that have old roads, old bridges, old sewers, old schools, and old hospitals, when we get money from the Federal Government, we have got to fix up those legacy issues. We have got to deal with pockets of poverty because we have been around for a longer time.

Their States are growing when they get money from us. We are subsidizing the rest of the country.

When they get money from the Federal Government, what are they using it for?

New sewers, new roads, new bridges, new hospitals, and new schools. They are growing, and they are bringing in new sales and new property taxes. They are trying to take credit for it when really it is because of the progressive income tax and the money that has come from our States that has helped their States to succeed. It is hypocrisy to suggest that our States are somehow irresponsible. It is hypocrisy to suggest that they are concerned about the wealthiest Americans.

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