Barrasso: Democrats Want to Raise Taxes and Protect Fraud

“ Working families are overtaxed. Fraud is already out of control. Democrats will make life less affordable. That is not what the American people want.” WASHINGTON, D.C . – Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today spoke about how the Working Families Tax Cuts law cuts taxes and fights fraud. In contrast, Democrats are fighting to raise taxes and protect fraudsters nationwide. Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks. Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared: “The American people deserve to have more money in their pockets. The Working Families Tax Cuts law delivered it. Republicans stopped the largest tax increase in American history. Americans already filed their taxes this year, and working families are keeping more of what they earn. The data proves it. “More than 7.5 million Americans benefited from No Tax on Tips. These are waiters, barbers, bartenders, and tour guides. They claimed an average deduction of over $7,100. More than 29 million Americans benefited from No Tax on Overtime. These are firefighters, police officers, and nurses. They are linemen and coal miners in Wyoming. They claimed an average deduction of over $3,000. “Money that once went to bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. now stays in the pockets of hardworking Americans. That is where it belongs. Had Democrats gotten their way, your taxes would have gone up. “Every Democrat in this chamber voted to continue taking taxes out of tip income. They voted to continue taxing overtime. Every Democrat voted to raise taxes by $4 trillion. Because Republicans are in the majority in Congress, we were able to stop the Democrats. Now, extremist Democrats are undermining the Working Families Tax Cuts law. They are doing it in state capitals and city halls. “In Washington, D.C., the City Council tried to force hardworking Americans to pay taxes to the city on their tips and overtime pay. The City Council of Washington, D.C., refused to allow hardworking waiters, bartenders, police officers, and firefighters to keep their hard-earned money. This is a city that will soon have a socialist mayor. “In 21 states, far-left governors refuse to allow these tax cuts at the state level. Democrats in California, in New York, in Minnesota, in Illinois, in New Jersey, in North Carolina, and in Virginia continue to tax tips, to tax overtime, or to tax both. And they keep the money for their liberal states. “Just like Democrats here in Congress, the leaders of Democrat states around the country want to raise taxes, not cut them. They think they can spend your money better than you can. We know why Democrats refuse to loosen their grip on your tax dollars. Democrats want to take money out of your pocket to give free healthcare for illegal immigrants paid for by taxpayers. “We know the extremists who are winning in Democrat primaries want open borders and mass amnesty. That’s the agenda of radical Democrats. That’s their manifesto. In far-left Democrat states, from California to Minnesota, we see their policies in action. Working families are overtaxed. Fraud is already out of control. Democrats will make life less affordable. That is not what the American people want. “Here’s what Republicans are doing. We are protecting taxpayers. We are putting more money back in the pockets of the American people. We are fighting the fraud Democrats ignore and enable. “Just this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that we stopped nearly $100 million in taxpayer money from going to dead people. Just yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stopped more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding from going to California and Minnesota. The reason is fraud and noncompliance. “Here in the Senate, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa is leading the war on fraud. When it comes to exposing fraud, Senator Ernst is both a watchdog and an attack dog. She has proposed a comprehensive anti-fraud bill. Her legislation cracks down on fraud. It claws back stolen money. It prosecutes the crooks, the criminals, and the scammers who prey on taxpayers. I support Senator Ernst’s bill. I’m a co-sponsor. Her anti-fraud legislation would save $240 billion for taxpayers. “Senator Schumer recently said on this very Floor that Democrats want to fight corruption. It is time for Democrats to prove it. Republicans are cutting taxes and stopping fraud. Democrats are voting to raise taxes and protect fraud.” ###