Hageman Votes NO on Tax Bill That Expands Welfare State

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Harriet Hageman voted against a bill that expands the welfare state and includes provisions that could include illegal immigrants as recipients of child tax credit benefits, further incentivizing the invasion of our borders.

Rep. Hageman stated, “Tax relief for families and small businesses is something that in and of itself should be bipartisan, and something I greatly support. Unfortunately, to win enough votes for provisions that help these groups, and America as a whole, this bill included the undoing of legitimate welfare reform and potential benefits for illegal immigrants. The welfare state already costs taxpayers $1.2 trillion annually – this bill assumes that this amount is not enough and should be greater.

“Additionally, the bill rolls back work requirements, giving the Left a win and another step towards their ultimate goal of having no restrictions on welfare. The Trump tax cuts provided an economic boom for Americans who previously struggled to make ends meet under liberal Obama-Biden policies. These tax cuts were widely supported by hard working American across the country. To require members to support illegal aliens receiving hard working American tax dollars and expanding the welfare state for the sake of “bipartisan political wins” is ridiculous. It is far past time that we put working-class Americans first.”

Key takeaways:

1. Over 90% of the “family benefits” are cash welfare to families that pay little or no federal income or social security taxes, not tax relief for working families.
2. $155 billion in new federal deficits would be generated through fiscal year 2025 – our country is already over $34 trillion in debt and anything that actually adds to the problem is not acceptable.
3. Under current law, illegal immigrants who have children born in the U.S. are able to claim welfare benefits. H.R. 7024 would expand these cash payments for current illegal aliens and millions more who enter the country in the future.
4. The bill rolls back work requirements – a staple of successful welfare reform for decades.
5. The bill was not subject to an open rule, meaning no amendments by Members of Congress could be offered – a deal literally negotiated in the backrooms with limited input and presented for a vote through a process that blocked debate.