Congresswoman Hirono Votes to Extend Payroll Tax Cut for Middle Class Families

Statement

Today, the House and Senate passed legislation that extends the payroll tax cut for 700,000 Hawaii workers, continues unemployment benefits and ensures over 200,000 Hawaii seniors and people with disabilities can continue to have access to their health providers under Medicare. The legislation now heads to President Obama to be signed into law. Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (HI-2) released the following statement on her vote in support of the bill:

"This bipartisan compromise is going to help our economy's recovery by giving an estimated $1,000 each to 700,000 Hawaii workers this year, making sure more than 200,000 people in Hawaii continue receiving health services through Medicare, and helping hundreds of people as they continue looking for work. We know that extra dollars in people's pockets means extra dollars in cash registers at Hawaii's businesses--which means more jobs. So this tax cut and extension of employment benefits for the rest of the year is important to our ongoing recovery.

"While this bill provides these key economic benefits and rejects some of the more extreme poison pill provisions that the House passed back in December, I am deeply disappointed that this bill asks more from our newly hired federal workforce. The hard working men and women of our federal workforce have already stepped up and sacrificed $60 billion in pay to meet our shared needs. Instead, we need a national commitment from everyone, especially the wealthiest, to meet our shared responsibility to lower our deficit while getting our economy working again."

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