Keith Ellison Statement On Payroll Tax Cut And Unemployment Benefits Extension

Statement

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which increases retirement contributions of new federal employees to fund a payroll tax cut extension for 160 million Americans, and decreases the number of weeks out of work Americans receive benefits:

"While today's vote was a difficult one, I do not want to endorse the idea that it is okay to take from some middle-class workers to meet our obligations to others, while asking nothing from Wall Street bankers and the super-rich.

"Today's agreement will help middle-class families who will not see their paychecks shrink, but it does not do enough for the thousands of Minnesotans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Based on current estimates, Minnesotans will lose this vital lifeline 20 weeks earlier. In this tough economy, we need to do better to support struggling Minnesotan families. At the end of January the Labor Department reported approximately 127,000 Minnesotans received unemployment assistance.

"This bill also shortchanges new federal public servants, whose retirements are being cut to the tune of $15 billion. There are currently 18,000 valued federal workers in Minnesota. These middle-class workers are some of America's heroes. They take care of our veterans, repair our roads and bridges, and maintain our national parks and waterways. It is unfair to cut into the retirement benefits of new federal employees simply to pay for benefits for others.

"This agreement does mean Minnesotans will avoid an average tax increase of $1,300 this year, and tens of millions of seniors can continue to see the doctor of their choice, both of which I support.

"In December, Republicans manufactured another crisis by refusing to pass a bill that would have extended these vital lifelines to working families. I hope Republicans will now put the American people before their short-term political gain. Our nation depends on it."

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