Rep. Gary Peters Calls on House Republicans to Pass Payroll Tax Cut for Middle Class Families

Press Release

With just two weeks to go until the targeted adjournment of Congress, Rep. Gary Peters today called on House Republicans to extend and expand the payroll tax cut to put more money back into the pockets of middle class families across America. Republicans have signaled for months that they would oppose extending and expanding this tax cut because it is part of President Obama's American Jobs Act.

Then earlier today, Speaker John Boehner was quoted telling his fellow Republicans at a caucus meeting "If you guys think that not extending the payroll tax cut is politically advantageous, you've got to be kidding yourself."

"On the one hand you have President Obama fighting to extend the payroll tax cut to create middle class jobs, and on the other you have Speaker Boehner telling Republicans to support it or else they might lose their own jobs," said Rep. Gary Peters. "Even if they do it purely for political gain, I hope Tea Party Republicans will put middle class tax cuts ahead of billionaires by supporting President Obama. If Republicans decide to continue stonewalling, then it will be clear who is responsible for working families seeing an average tax hike of $1,000 next year."

This tax cut was originally proposed as part of President Obama's American Jobs Act and in Michigan, it's estimated to put an average of $1,430 into the pockets of middle class families. Across America, expanding and extending this tax cut would benefit 160 million Americans and it would prevent a tax hike of nearly $1,000 should Congress fail to pass an extension. Expanding the payroll tax cut would be paid for by a moderate surtax on millionaires.

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