Senator Hagan Votes to Support Middle Class Tax Cut
Senator Hagan Votes to Support Middle Class Tax Cut
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) today commented after the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to extend the payroll tax cut for 4.7 million North Carolina workers for two months. To see a county-by-county breakdown of how this tax cut will benefit North Carolina families, click here. The bill also continues unemployment benefits for two months. Hagan voted for the measure.
“I voted to prevent a tax increase on middle class families come January 1,” said Hagan. “In North Carolina, 4.7 million workers benefit from the payroll tax cut. For a North Carolina family earning the median income, a year-long continuation of this tax cut means a savings of $1,356. At a time when every penny counts, this extra money will go a long way for hardworking families struggling to make ends meet. I remain disappointed, however, that partisan games brought Washington yet again to the eleventh hour and prevented Congress from extending this crucial tax cut for working Americans for an entire year. Over the next two months, I will continue to fight for North Carolina workers and families who would benefit from a year- long extension of this middle class tax cut.
“I work everyday to help create a better business climate for our companies to create jobs. Unfortunately, as the economy struggles to get back on track, we still have record high unemployment in our state. Now is not the time to turn our backs on families who depend on unemployment insurance as a lifeline while they get back on their feet.”
Hagan also voted today for legislation that funds the federal government for fiscal year 2012, including federal disaster relief assistance.
“A government shutdown would have been absolutely irresponsible. I wasn’t elected to shut down the government and deprive North Carolinians essential services they consistently support. Many of our fellow North Carolinians are still struggling to recover from the past year’s devastating tornadoes and hurricanes. They need continued disaster relief assistance and now they will receive it. While I don’t agree with every provision in the bill, I am pleased that we reached an agreement consistent with the fiscal discipline I supported in August.
"At the same time, the nation must continue to invest in education, infrastructure and research and development. Today's bill maintains the maximum Pell Grant award for the many students in North Carolina who depend on those funds to further their educations. It also makes key investments in the technologies of the future, including cutting edge scientific innovations from our universities and Research Triangle Park institutions. Jobs remain my number one priority, and North Carolina is well-positioned to lead the nation in these next-generation jobs thanks to our first-class universities, community colleges and work ethic.”
Had Congress not acted to prevent a shutdown:
- Head Start early learning centers would be closed.
- Military families would not be paid.
- The National Park Service would close, restricting access to North Carolina's many national parks and wildlife refuges.
- The Small Business Administration would not be able to process new loans.
The FY2012 government funding bill includes:
- $1.6 billion for Community Health Centers nationwide. Community Health Centers ensure access to timely and affordable health care in North Carolina’s many rural communities.
- $7.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund. An unprecedented number of natural disasters this year, including tornadoes in April and Hurricane Irene in August in North Carolina, depleted the Disaster Relief Fund. These bills ensure communities can pick up the pieces and rebuild.
- $228 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). North Carolina has more four-year HBCUs than any other state.
- $535 million for School Improvement Grants (SIG) to support school turnaround efforts that Senator Hagan championed with her School Turnaround and Rewards Act (STAR) Act. For more, please click here.
- $5 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, which will use some portion of that money to maintain and improve North Carolina’s ports and waterways.
- $919 million for the Small Business Administration, including an increase in funding for key small business loan and loan guarantee programs.
- $1.3 billion for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to support oversight and enforcement responsibilities to protect investors, facilitate capital formation and maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets.
- $4.9 billion for science research that will fund many important programs, including the development of high performance computing systems and research in next-generation clean energy sources.
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