Congressman Sires' Statement on Passage of the Republican Tax Plan

Statement

Congressman Sires issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 227-205:

"I am extremely disappointed that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have voted for a tax plan that greatly disadvantages working Americans to provide tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations. New Jerseyans, and people across the nation, will suffer if the bill that was passed today becomes law. This plan will add at least $1.5 trillion to the national deficit and removes deductions and exemptions that millions of families use every year including deductions for state and local taxes, medical expenses, student loans, and property losses. Due to the cruel restructuring of our system, over the next decade 27% of New Jerseyans would see an average tax increase of $2,200 while the top 1% would receive an average tax break of $25,100. True tax reform should be a bipartisan undertaking that is crafted with input from individuals and groups across the country, not forced through the House of Representatives in two weeks without a single hearing. I remain opposed to the GOP plan which was clearly designed to benefit the wealthy, not the majority of Americans. We must do better. "

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