Following a 293-132 vote in the House, and a 60-36 vote in the Senate, a bipartisan agreement to extend the payroll tax cut is now slated for President Barack Obama’s signature. As the White House notes, continuing the payroll tax holiday through the rest of the year will ensure that Americans making $50,000 annually continue to receive an additional $40 in their weekly paycheck. Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) issued the following statement after the House vote:
“Earlier today, I joined my colleagues to support a bipartisan extension of the payroll tax cut that will ensure that Rhode Island’s hardworking middle class families don’t see their taxes go up. At a time when so many men and women are still looking for work, I am pleased that following weeks of debate and negotiations, politics was put aside in order to do the right thing for middle class families. I would also like to commend our senior Senator Jack Reed, whose influential leadership during this process was critical in crafting an agreement that not only protects a tax cut for middle class families but also extends benefits for unemployed Rhode Islanders and allows our seniors to continue seeing their doctor of choice.
Now that Congress has extended these provisions, I urge the House Republican leadership to set its attention on passing commonsense provisions to reinvigorate American manufacturing, promote innovation, and give our workforce the skills they need to compete in the 21st century economy.”
