Congresswoman McCollum: Get Rid of Billions in Special Interest “Tax Earmarks”

For Immediate Release: December 7, 2011
Contact: Maria Reppas, (202) 225-6631 / (202) 527-0149 maria.reppas@mail.house.gov

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) issued the following statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, regarding President Obama's proposed payroll tax cut.

"Mr. Speaker, the temporary payroll tax cut is putting money into the economy and the pockets of 160 million Americans. Now my Republican colleagues are demanding harmful cuts to working families and seniors to offset this middle class tax cut.

"A better idea is to cut from the $1 trillion in special interest 'tax earmarks' identified by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles Commission. Let's cut the $2 million earmark for wooden arrow manufacturers; let's cut the $40 million earmark for the owners of NASCAR racetracks; and let's cut the $235 million earmark for rum producers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"These tax earmarks are unfair, AND they are unaffordable. To the 99 percent of Americans who don't have a lobbyist, sorry, you missed out on this special interest bonanza.

"Congress needs to protect working families. Let's pass President Obama's middle-class payroll tax cut to help our families and our economy now."

Congresswoman Betty McCollum serves on the House Appropriations and Budget Committees.

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