Iowa Congressman

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Washington, Feb 17 - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday morning overwhelmingly passed legislation to extend a tax cut for 160 million working Americans and address reimbursement to doctors who treat the nation’s Medicare patients giving senior’s more certainty with the vital program.  The payroll tax holiday and Medicare reimbursement will be extended for the remainder of the year if the U.S. Senate approves the legislation later today.

“Numerous economists have said the worst thing we can do right now is raise taxes on hardworking Americans,” said Iowa Congressman Tom Latham after his vote to pass the extension and the Medicare fix. “As I’ve said since the beginning of this debate, a full-year extension of the payroll tax holiday will give the American people more certainty and peace of mind for the future. The legislation approved by the House today will protect American families, farmers and small businesses from a job-destroying tax hike and allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money while also giving seniors certainty and relief to know they will have continued access to their doctors through Medicare.”

The bill also enacts historic reforms to the nation’s federal unemployment programs that will help the unemployed get the training and resources they need to move from an unemployment check to a paycheck. The package overturns arcane 1960s-era regulations and allows states to drug screen and test those most at risk.  In addition to securing these permanent reforms, the extension reduces weeks to a level more typical of previous economic recessions. These temporary benefits are completely paid for and do not add to the deficit, unlike the votes that have added nearly $200 billion to our nation’s debt in the last three years alone.

“This is the change that responsible Americans are expecting from Washington – that we do not continue to toss more debt onto the fiscal mess that Washington has created over the years,” Congressman Latham said. “This measure is fully paid for - no tax increases and no budget gimmicks.”

The legislation was a true bipartisan effort by members of both parties in the House and Senate after many months of politically tainted debate over the issue.

“Like millions of Americans, I’ve been frustrated by the political gamesmanship from both sides in Congress and the White House regarding this issue,” Congressman Latham said. “I’m pleased that members of Congress from both parties have worked to find common ground on this issue.  Washington needs to be committed to more often put people before politics and progress before partisanship, and I hope we can continue this trend for the good of, and peace of mind for, Iowa families.”