2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For The House GOP's 2017 Tax Reform Plan Which
Significantly Cut Taxes For The Rich And Corporations And Slightly
Expanded The Child Tax Credit. In November 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for
reconciliation legislation which significantly altered the federal tax
code. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The bill substantially
restructures the U.S. tax code to simplify the code and reduce taxes on
individuals, corporations and small businesses. For individuals, it
consolidates the current seven tax brackets down to four and eliminates
or restricts many tax credits and deductions, including by eliminating
the deduction for state and local income taxes and limiting the
deduction for property taxes to $10,000 and the interest deduction for
a home mortgage to the first $500,000 worth of a loan. [...] On the
business side, it reduces the corporate tax from 35% to 20% and
establishes a 'territorial' tax system that would exempt most income
derived overseas from U.S. corporate taxation. It allows businesses to
immediately expense 100% of the cost of assets acquired and placed into
service, and for small businesses it raises the Section 179 expensing
limit to $5 million for five years. It also establishes a 25% rate for
a portion of pass-through business income that would otherwise have to
be paid at the ordinary individual tax level, and for small businesses
where an individual would receive less than $150,000 in pass-through
income it taxes the first $75,000 of that income at a 9% rate." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 227 to 205.
President Trump later signed an amended version of the bill into law.
[House Vote 637,
11/16/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 11/15/17;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Congressional Progressive
Caucus's Budget Resolution, Which Among Other Things, Increased Taxes On
The Rich And Corporations And Called Expanding The Child Tax Credit And
The EITC. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against an FY 2018 CPC
budget resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the resolution
would "provide for $3.8 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal
2018, not including off-budget accounts. It would raise overall spending
by $3.5 trillion over 10 years and would increase revenues by $8.2
trillion over the same period through policies that would increase taxes
for corporations and high-income individuals. It would repeal the Budget
Control Act sequester and caps on discretionary spending, would modify
the tax code by adding five higher marginal tax rates, would create a
public insurance option to be sold within the current health insurance
exchanges and would call for implementation of comprehensive immigration
overhaul." In addition, according to the Congressional Progressive
Caucus, "Expands the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Care
Credit." The amendment was a substitute amendment for the GOP's FY 2018
budget resolution in part designed to start the process for tax reform.
The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 108 to 314. [House Vote
553, 10/4/17;
Congressional Quarterly, 10/4/17;
Congressional Progressive Caucus, Accessed
10/12/17;
Congressional Actions, H. Amdt.
453;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Authorizing $5 Billion To Extend The
Child Tax Credit Through 2022. In November 2021, Fitzpatrick voted
against the Build Back Better act which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "extend through 2022 the expanded child tax
credit provided by prior coronavirus relief law (PL 117-2) and provide
$5 billion to administer the credit." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 220-213. [House Vote 385,
11/19/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 11/19/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5376]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The American Rescue Plan Act Of 2021,
Which Raised The Child Tax Credit To $3,000 Per Child. In March 2021,
Fitzpatrick voted against concurring in the Senate amendment to the
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "expand eligibility and increase the maximum earned income
tax credit for childless adults and increase the child tax credit to
$3,000 per child." The vote was on concurring in the Senate amendment
to the bill. The House concurred with the Senate by a vote of 220-211
and sent to the President and ultimately the bill became law. [House
Vote 72, 3/10/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
3/10/21; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
1319]
The American Rescue Plan Dramatically Expanded The Child Tax
Credit, Which Aimed At Sending Periodic Payments To Families With
Children And Would Cut Child Poverty By Up To Half, According To The
White House And Allied Congressional Democrats. According to The
Washington Post, "The new stimulus also includes a dramatic
expansion of the child tax credit, for the first time seeking to
send out periodic, perhaps monthly, payments to families with kids.
Biden and his congressional Democratic allies have estimated the
changes could cut child poverty by up to half." [The Washington
Post,
3/10/21]
The American Rescue Plan Provisionally Expanded The Child Tax
Credit, Which Raised The Credit To $3,000 For Kids Ages 6 To 17 And
$3,600 For Kids Under 6 Years Old. According to NPR, "The
legislation will temporarily expand the child tax credit, increasing
the amount to $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for
children under age 6." [NPR,
3/11/21]
The Child Tax Credit Would Begin To Decrease For Couples With
Incomes Over $150,000 And Individuals Making Over $75,000, And
Families Eligible For The Full Credit Would Receive Monthly Payments
Of Up To $300 From July To December 2021. According to NPR, "The
amount is gradually reduced for couples earning over $150,000 and
individuals earning over $75,000 per year. Families eligible for
the full credit will get payments of up to $300 per child per month
from July through the end of the year." [NPR,
3/11/21]
According To The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, The
Expanded Child Tax Credit Could Lift 4 Million Kids Out Of
Poverty. According to CBS News, "The child tax credit could raise
4 million children out of poverty, according to an analysis by the
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities." [CBS News,
3/12/21]