Gillen Testifies Before Rules Committee on SALT Cap Repeal Amendment
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) testified in front of the House Rules Committee on her amendment to fully repeal the cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction. Gillen’s amendment would cut taxes for hardworking families on Long Island. Below is a copy of her remarks as prepared for delivery.
(As prepared for delivery)
Thank you, Madam Chair, and Ranking Member McGovern,
I am testifying before you today to speak in support of my amendment to the tax bill which will eliminate the legislation’s SALT Cap and restore the full State and Local Tax Deduction to cut taxes for my constituents and millions of American families who are being hurt by this unfair cap.
My amendment will deliver on the promise President Trump made when he campaigned in my district on Long Island and said that he would “get SALT back.”
Madam Chair, as you are likely aware, state and local taxes were made deductible from federal income taxes in 1913 based on the fundamental principle that Americans should not be double taxed on the same income.
This principle held firm for over 100 years.
Double taxing Americans is simply unfair.
My constituents pay some of the highest taxes in the country and send far more to Washington than they get back.
Many of them are facing a cost-of-living crisis. They are counting on us to lower taxes and bring costs down.
I came to Congress to try to make life more affordable for them and help cut their taxes.
However, for the past eight years, Long Islanders have been crushed and double-taxed by this unfair SALT Cap.
Right now, Congress has the opportunity to correct that wrong and ease my constituents’ burden by eliminating the SALT cap that is making it so hard for families and small businesses in my district to get by.
This is about fundamental fairness for high-cost states like New York, which, again, give much more to the federal government than we get back.
For every $1 that New Yorkers send to the federal government, we only get around 86 cents back on average, while most other states get more back than they send.
In 2017, New York sent $35.6 billion more to the federal government in taxes than it received back in federal spending.
Restoring the SALT deduction helps fix this imbalance, and makes sure that hardworking Americans on Long Island, in New York, and other high-cost states are treated fairly.
Long Island is one of the most expensive places to raise a family in the United States. Having a cap on the SALT deduction has hit everyone’s pocketbook.
This unfair double taxation hurts Republicans and Democrats alike, union members, teachers, firefighters and police officers.
I’ve heard from countless hardworking families and small business leaders in my district over the past few years who’ve had to pay tens of thousands of dollars more in taxes, making their lives even more expensive.
Since taking office, I’ve been fighting to fully restore this deduction and cut taxes for Long Island.
That is why I am proud to lead this amendment to lower taxes for Long Islanders and others harmed by the SALT Cap. My amendment is co-sponsored by 16 of my colleagues from across the country.
Today, I am asking the Members of this Committee to make my amendment in order and bring an up-or-down vote on eliminating the SALT deduction and cutting taxes for Long Islanders and millions of other hardworking Americans to the Floor.
Rep. Gillen, a Member of the bipartisan SALT Caucus, has been a leader in the fight to fully repeal the SALT cap and lower taxes for Long Islanders. Since taking office, she has called on House and Senate leadership to begin negotiations toward repealing the deduction cap and co-sponsored H.R.430, the bipartisan SALT Deductibility Act.
Gillen’s amendment received support from members across the country including Rep. Derek Tran(CA), Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY), Rep. Grace Meng (NY), Rep. Dave Min (CA), Rep. George Whitesides (CA), Rep. Pat Ryan (NY), Rep. Brad Schneider (IL), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Rep. Tim Kennedy (NY), Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY), Rep. John Mannion (NY), Rep. Dan Goldman (NY), Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY), Rep. Josh Riley (NY), and Rep. Jerry Nadler (NY).