U.S. Bishops’ Chairman Calls for Senate to Amend Tax Proposal to Ensure Just Moral Framework

November 22, 2017
By Ss. Peter & Paul

WASHINGTON— Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman
of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and
Human Development, called for amendments to the Senate tax reform proposal to “ensure
a just and moral framework for all.”

“The Senate bill doubles the standard deduction, which
will provide tax relief to many. However,
the ‘Chairman’s Mark,’ as written, will raise income taxes on the working poor
while simultaneously providing a large tax cut to the wealthy,” wrote Bishop
Dewane. “Tax breaks for the financially
secure, including millionaires and billionaires, should not be made possible by
increased taxes to families struggling to meet their daily needs.”

According to the nonpartisan congressional Joint
Committee on Taxation (JCT), on average, taxpayers making between $10,000 and
$30,000 per year will see a tax increase in 2021. Significant tax breaks to the very
wealthy—including millionaires and billionaires—are projected for the same year. In 2023 and 2025, average taxes will increase
for those making less than $30,000, but they will go down for those making more
than $30,000. By 2027, after most
individual tax cuts are set to expire, average taxes will increase for
taxpayers making less than $75,000, while decreasing for those making more.

Bishop Dewane expressed support for positive aspects of
the bill, including the fact that the Senate plan does not repeal the adoption
tax credit or the exclusion for employer adoption assistance programs. It also recognizes children in utero by
allowing contributions to a 529 savings plan before birth. However, the Bishop highlighted serious
problems with the legislation which include the elimination of personal
exemptions (which “places a significant burden on larger families”), and the
repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s individual insurance mandate apart from
broader health care reform.

“The Senate proposal repeals one portion of the
Affordable Care Act—the individual insurance mandate—apart from a needed
comprehensive approach to health care reform, one that would protect against
millions of additional people becoming uninsured and fix problems that pertain to
affordability, protect unborn life, conscience and immigrant access,” noted
Bishop Dewane. “Tax reform should not
become the vehicle for a partial health care reform that fails to address
significant problems in our health care system while exacerbating other
difficulties.”

Bishop Dewane also highlighted a November 14, 2017
Congressional Budget Office letter that stated that a deficit increase of $1.5
trillion over ten years would require spending cuts as early as 2018, if other
legislation is not enacted. “These cuts
will almost certainly include deep reductions to programs that help those in
need,” the USCCB letter said.

The full letter can be found at: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/federal-budget/upload/Senate-Tax-Cuts-and-Jobs-Act-Letter-2017-11-22.pdf.


Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Bishop Frank J. Dewane,
Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Senate tax reform, Joint
Committee on Taxation, tax increases, adoption tax credit, adoption assistance
programs, Affordable Care Act, tax reform, health care reform, protection of
unborn, Congressional Budget Office, spending cuts.

###

Media Contact:
Judy
Keane

202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops