Providing much-needed tax relief

By U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer
R-Missouri

Washington, D.C. – Taxes. Everyone’s favorite subject, right? I hope you can sense my sarcasm loud and clear. Still, while Congress has struggled to make much movement on anything lately, we took on tax relief this week, and I’m happy to report significant progress.

Last week, House Republicans took a massive step toward extending President Trump’s tax plan from 2017. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act encourages American innovation, supports small businesses, punishes China, gives back to families, and cracks down on fraud and waste.

One of the most concerning trends we see across the country is the deterioration of the American family. We should encourage stability, strong values, and responsible parenting, which is why the Child Tax Credit is getting a boost. The legislation also eliminates the penalty for larger families since no one should face a punishment just for having children.

It’s also time to stop paying for COVID shutdowns. The legislation will finally close a pandemic-related employee-retention credit, saving taxpayers over $70 billion.

As chair of the Subcommittee on National Security and a member of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, I’m proud to say this legislation opens lanes of innovation for American companies and supports Taiwan in its fight against China. Both will put us in a better position to compete with and ultimately triumph over the Chinese Communist Party.

After passing the House, the legislation now goes to the Senate, where I hope Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democrats won’t stand in the way of our efforts to provide relief for American taxpayers.

There is a lot more to like about this bill, so I encourage you to check out some of the facts here.

If you follow my Twitter (X), you’ve likely seen it’s also Tax Identity Theft Week. As tax season rolls around, identity thieves are out to get hard-working Americans. Every day this week, I’ve posted tips for protecting your information. Here are a few:

• The IRS will NEVER contact you through email, text, or social media. Be wary of suspicious messages requesting personal information.

• Do not store your Social Security Number on a computer or cell phone. Hackers can break in and steal your information without you knowing, so it’s best to delete it from old emails, notes, or documents.

• File your tax returns early if you can! The less time criminals have to impersonate you and steal your refund the better.

• If you’re filing online, be sure to use a secure network. Do not use public Wi-Fi somewhere like a coffee shop or library.