House Republicans pass bill to extend individual tax cuts

Senate unlikely to take up bill; Dems call it a ‘tax scam.’

WASHINGTON — House Republicans pushed through a new round of tax cuts Friday that would permanently extend many tax cuts for individuals in President Donald Trump’s signature law, removing a provision that scheduled many of the individual cuts to expire within a decade.

During the debate over the tax law, Democrats frequently attacked Republicans for legislation that contained permanent rate reductions for corporations but temporary ones for individuals.

The Senate has no intention of taking up the bill, which is projected to add more than $600 billion to the debt by the end of the next decade and much more beyond that.

But House Republicans moved the measure Friday, five weeks ahead of midterm elections that will decide control of Congress, in an effort to refocus attention on Trump’s top legislative accomplishment, as well as to put Democrats in the position of voting against giving permanent tax cuts to individuals at all income levels.

“This relief goes to middle-class families and low-income families working their way up,” said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, of Friday’s measure. “Who do you trust: Washington to spend your money, or you and your family?”

The bill passed 220 to 191. Passing the legislation was the final item on House Republicans’ agenda before adjourning to spend the next month campaigning for reelection.

Democrats termed the legislation another “tax scam” that primarily helps the wealthy while adding even more to the nation’s dangerously large $21 trillion debt. And Democrats warned repeatedly that the legislation would threaten Social Security and Medicare, claiming the GOP would ultimately seek to cut those programs to pay down the debt - a charge Republicans dismissed as scare tactics.

“I guess their giveaway to the ultrawealthy wasn’t enough the last time around, so they’ve come back for round two,” said Rep. Linda T. Sánchez, D-Calif. “When the bill finally comes due, I’m terrified Republicans will pay for it by cutting Social Security and Medicare.”

The tax bill that became law in January permanently cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. This corporate tax cut was accompanied by more modest rate reductions for individuals at all income levels, but those individual cuts are set to expire in 2025. The law also temporarily doubled the standard deduction claimed by most filers, and temporarily doubled the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child.

The cuts were made temporary to limit the bill’s projected additions to the deficit, an effort to make the bill qualify for Senate procedural rules that allow some legislation to pass by a simple majority. Without using those rules, Republicans would have been unable to overcome Senate Democrats’ opposition to the measure.