Taxpayer Watchdog Slams Senate Budget Proposal Over Its Disregard for Fiscal Responsibility

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House of Representatives aims to vote on the Senate’s budget proposal (Senate Amendment to H.Con. Res. 14) as Congress takes the next steps in the reconciliation process. While the Senate’s proposal continues the House’s important work towards making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent, it only requires $4 billion in minimum spending cuts, in stark contrast to the House’s $1.5 trillion requirement. While tax relief is an urgent necessity and remains a major priority for the wellbeing of the American economy, it cannot be enacted with complete disregard to fiscal responsibility and sustainability.

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) urges members of the House to vote against this proposal.

In response, David Williams, TPA President offered the following comment:

“What the Senate’s budget proposal does well regarding tax relief is completely negated by its total disregard for fiscal responsibility by maintaining unsustainably high levels of spending. The Senate’s proposed spending cuts are not nearly enough to put a dent in the urgent spending and debt emergency the nation is currently facing.

“While we remain adamant that the TCJA must be made permanent, it would be a disservice for taxpayers to turn a blind eye to the irresponsible spending included in this proposal, which will only deepen the nation’s deficit and debt problems. At the end of the day, the mounting deficit will hamper economic gains made tax reform through another round of crippling inflation and potential risks to credit ratings; America’s $36 trillion in debt must be seriously addressed. The House-passed proposal correctly identified that reenacting TCJA would necessitate aggressive spending cuts. This should be the blueprint for Congress to follow.

“By setting the floor for cuts so low at $4 billion, the Senate’s budget undermines the need for spending reform. We echo the calls of many Members, who wisely believe in a minimum threshold of $1.5 trillion in cuts, and we encourage all Members of the House to reject the Senate’s amendment to the House budget.”

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