A Missouri Congressman who voted for the House GOP tax bill says it will bring much-needed relief to families.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves’ sprawling district includes 36 northern Missouri counties and covers more square miles than nine states.
The Tarkio Republican says the GOP tax bill will be good for the entire country.
“The president laid out very clearly just how important the tax cut and tax reform package is and how many people it’s going to help, particularly the middle class,” Graves says.
Graves, who spoke to Missourinet Wednesday afternoon from Air Force One, says most Missouri households would see an additional $2,400 in take-home pay, under the House GOP bill.
Graves and Missouri’s five other GOP U.S. House members traveled with President Donald Trump from Washington to Lambert St. Louis International Airport, before the motorcade took them to the St. Charles Convention Center.
Graves says our tax code “has failed Americans.” He also says Missouri has suffered, due to what he describes as an out-of-date tax system.
“Well it’s hurting the country it’s hurting individuals, it’s hurting businesses, farms, you name it,” says Graves.
He says the House GOP plan means more jobs and bigger paychecks for middle-class Americans.
Graves also believes the U.S. Senate will pass their tax cut bill.
“I believe we have the votes and then obviously it will go to conference,” Graves says. “It will look different once it comes out of conference but I think those key things we’re going to be able to keep in the bill.”
Graves says only 28 percent of north Missourians itemize their tax returns, which means about 70 percent take the standard deduction.
He says his constituents would double the amount of money they can write off on their taxes, under the GOP plan.
U.S. Rep. William “Lacy” Clay, D-St. Louis, disagrees, saying it will raise taxes on millions of middle-class families and will increase the debt by $1.4 trillion.
During a Wednesday House floor speech, Clay also says the GOP plan would raise taxes on 320,000 middle-class Missouri families.
Click here to listen to the full four-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, who spoke to Brian from Air Force One on November 29, 2017: