Promises Broken: Reid Bill Hikes Taxes on Middle Class, Small Business, Enzi Says

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) today said the Senate must say no to the enormous tax increase the Reid health care bill will lay on America’s middle class families and small businesses, and urged sending the measure back for a re-write that reins in the cost of health care instead.

“If the Reid bill passes, your taxes will go up when we ring in the New Year in two weeks,” Enzi said. “Most of the reforms in this bill won’t kick in for another four years, but you’ll start paying higher taxes in just two weeks.

“The higher taxes in this bill will punish small businesses fighting to keep their doors open and their employees working,” Enzi added. “To make matters worse, it will actually drive up health care costs for folks wanting to keep the health insurance they have now or the uninsured hoping to get affordable healthcoverage.”

The Reid bill contains $500 billion in new taxes on individuals, small business and health care providers, and will drive up insurance premiums 10 percent to 13 percent, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Enzi said he will support an amendment offered by Senator Mike Crapo (RID) which is scheduled for a vote later today. If approved, it would send the Reid bill to the Finance Committee for improvement.

“With unemployment in the double digits, and millions worried about keeping their jobs and paying the bills, I can’t understand how any member of Congress can support raising taxes,” Enzi said. “How can the President, who promised health care reform without sticking middle class families with higher taxes, support this bill?”

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