Politics & Government

U.S. Sen. Sander Levin: Fiscal Cliff Provisions 'Vital' for U.S. Economy

The U.S. House went along with a Senate plan Tuesday to address expiring Bush-era tax cuts while delaying spending cuts.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 257-167 late Tuesday night to endorse a Senate vote on a bill that would avert the so-called fiscal cliff. This bill extends the tax cuts passed during George W. Bush's presidency that would have expired on Jan. 1, and delays automatic spending cuts.

A complete list of the yeas and nays can be found on the website for the House of Representatives.

U.S. Sen. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, voted for the bill, which will extend curent tax rates for all wage earners making below $400,000 and couples making below $450,000.

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Levin posted comments he made Tuesday on the House floor on his website:

"As we are here today on January 1, hours away from people returning to work, markets reopening around the world and all eyes focusing on whether this institution can govern, this legislation allows us to get done what we need to get done. This bill is vital for our nation’s economic well-being and – I want to emphasize – for its standing as the world’s most important economy.

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  • It is vital for 114 million middle class families, whose tax cuts are made permanent.
  • It is vital for two million unemployed American workers who need continuation of their insurance while they continue to look for work.
  • It is vital for 30 million middle-income Americans who otherwise would have been hit by the Alternative Minimum Tax.
  • It is vital for 25 million working families and students who benefit from the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps families pay for college.
  • It is vital for physicians – and millions of their patients -- who would have been hurt by drastic cuts in Medicare reimbursement rates.
  • It is also vital for businesses – through an extension of important tax provisions such as the research and development credit, renewable energy incentives and bonus depreciation to encourage business investments.

I want to emphasize this: This legislation breaks the iron barrier that for far too long has prevented additional tax revenues from the very wealthiest. It raises $620 billion in revenue by achieving the President’s goal of asking the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans to pay more while protecting 98 percent of families and 97 percent of small businesses from any tax increase.

And lastly – this package is vital for future deficit reductions efforts, setting the stage for a balanced approach from here on out, by delaying sequestration through 1-to-1 revenue-to-spending cuts.

Yesterday President Obama again said that he is committed to deficit reduction, but he emphasized several times that “we’ve got to do this in a balanced responsible way,” with additional revenues, as well as spending cuts. This bill sets that important precedent.

The time is urgent. The time is now. We should support this legislation."


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