Southern West Virginia News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) participated in the Ways and Means Committee markup on the United States Taiwan Initiative on 21st- Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act and three tax bills introduced by Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08). The Small Business Jobs Act, Build It in America Act, and Tax Cuts for Working Families Act extend key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, protect small businesses, and provide tax relief for working families. 

On the United States Taiwan Initiative on 21st- Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act:

“Apparently while the current Administration has been busy making trade suggestions, our adversaries have been very busy outmaneuvering us at every turn when it comes to trade, especially in the indo-pacific.  

The United States Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act is an important step to reasserting Congressional authority over trade, sending a strong message to China that they must respect Taiwan’s sovereignty, and showing that the United States will not bow to threats or intimidation and will continue to support Taiwan.  

I commend the Chairman and Ranking Member’s leadership and the bipartisan support of this commonsense bill.” 

Click Here for Video.

On the Small Business Jobs Act:

“Thank you, Chairman, for including my bill H.R. 190 – the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act - in the Small Business Jobs Act. 

My bill, which is co-sponsored by all Republican Ways and Means members, is a huge step in turning back the Democrat's disastrous American Rescue Plan provision which will send tens of millions of forms to taxpayers and small businesses in every congressional district.

Even the IRS knew that lowering the threshold would be a disaster, so they single handedly and extra-legally delayed implementing the lower threshold for another year. This Administration has set a terrible precedent that the IRS can ignore tax laws when politically convenient. 

I also applaud the bill for expanding tax incentives to S Corporations, increasing immediate expensing for all small businesses, and for delivering the benefits of opportunity zones to rural communities like mine.  

I look forward to working with you Mr. Chairman, and this committee, to make the successful Opportunity Zone program even more effective, to ensure investors have the certainty that they need to make these important investment decisions.” 

Click Here for Video. 

On the Build It In America Act and American Families and Jobs Act.

“In 2017, Tax Cut and Jobs Act was essential for getting our economy back on track after a decade of malaise caused by over regulation and taxation by the federal government.  

The TCJA stopped American companies from investing overseas, brought billions of dollars in investment back to America, saved American jobs, and most importantly, raised wages and lowered unemployment for all groups, especially working-class Americans. 

Innovative provisions, such as Opportunity Zones, directed investment into chronically underserved areas while increasing the standard deduction, which simplified taxes for over 90% of Americans.  

It is critical to continue the work started by the TCJA as our country teeters on the brink of recession. Extending R&D expensing will ensure our innovative economy stays competitive and extending interest deductibility will promote our medium sized businesses so they can survive in our current high interest rate environment.  

Further, extending the 100% expensing provisions will promote American manufacturing and jobs in communities like mine in West Virginia.  

These provisions, and others are essential for competing on the global market and countering the growing threat of the Chinese Communist Party.” 

Click Here for Video.

On the Defending American Jobs and Investment Act 

 “Another concern that I share with many of my colleagues is China’s influence on the failed deal the Biden Administration “negotiated” at the OECD. As an original co-sponsor of the Defending American Jobs and Investment Act, I applaud the Committee’s work to send a clear message to the OECD that U.S. owed taxes are off limits to foreign treasuries.  

This bill is a great first step, and I want to join my Republican colleagues in explaining that much more could be done if foreign governments continue down the path of undermining our American tax base and international treaties.  

The Ways and Means Committee, not President Biden’s Treasury Department, and I repeat that, the Ways and Means Committee is the source of the tax code. Last year when Democrats had full control of the government, even they couldn’t come to an agreement to implement Biden and Yellen’s flawed agreement in our tax code. 

As long as we have a Republican House Majority, it will never happen.  

Our committee has a wide array of options in our arsenal, and a Republican President will ensure our country is defended from this disaster. 

I want this message to be very clear: If you are a foreign country that has already implemented a UTPR – Repeal it now.  

If you are a foreign country considering implementing a UTPR – You better think twice.” 

Click Here for Video. 

On the Tax Cuts for Working Families Act and struggling small businesses in West Virginia.

“Our very first field hearing was in West Virginia. It wasn’t in my district, it was about 10 miles north of my district, but was the closest place we could get driving from DC in a decent time frame.  

I’d like to read to you a couple of quotes that were given in testimony while we were there. 

Jamie Ward, who is a West Virginia native and a 30 year veteran of the coal industry said, ‘I saw the coal industry decline further to the point where I was forced to leave West Virginia to find work in the industry in Alabama for a time. I watched the small towns of my home state fall on incredibly hard times, all because of anti coal policies that were being pushed in Washington DC, by people who had never even been to the place where I grew up.  

I remember a time when someone could not drive more than three or four miles without seeing a coal mine or you’d be able to find work. Now, I have employees coming from many miles away, just to keep a job.’

Ashley Bachmann, who’s a mother of three and the owner of a restaurant called Cheetah B’s in Petersburg, West Virginia. 

She said, ‘Our kitchen cooking equipment runs off of propane. During some months the cost of propane has more than doubled the price of what it was in the corresponding months of 2020. The rise in prices in all other industry costs have caused our lease payments to be increased from $2,000 to $4,500 a month in only five years time. Our little restaurant has been bleeding money due to all the increased costs, and I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to continue with the prices the way they are.’ 

What we don’t always realize is that bad policies that come out of Washington D.C. have really bad results. I have witnessed in my own district, the devastation of communities that have shrunk to 10% of their original size. There aren’t any grocery stores. It’s just incredible what happens when we do bad policy.” 

Click Here for Video. 

"I speak in strong favor of the Tax Cuts for Working Families Act.

One of the key provisions in the very successful 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was the expansion of the standard deduction. This committee has travelled all over the country, including my home state of West Virginia, just to hear how real Americans are struggling in Biden's economy. 

The vast, vast majority of my constituents use the standard deduction on their taxes every year. That's why improving the standard deduction to the new and improved guaranteed deduction will ensure almost every West Virginian will get to keep more of their hard earned money and then it will circulate into our local economy.

The bonus $4,000 deduction is a $100 billion tax cut for the working families and will go a long way to make sure that my constituents can make ends meet.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciated this committee's continued focus on working class Americans and I look forward to quickly passing this legislation into law."

Click Here for Tax Cuts for Working Families Act Video.

Background:

• The United States Taiwan Initiative on 21st- Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act - This bill will approve the first agreement with Taiwan while also clarifying it is not a Free Trade Agreement under the IRA. The bill re-establishes Congressional Authority and Congressional Vote on any future Taiwan Agreements.  
• The Small Business Jobs Act - Under President Biden’s leadership, inflation and supply chain issues have drastically increased. This bill will eliminate IRS Red tape with Congresswoman Miller’s Saving Gig Economy Act, invest into U.S. innovation and job opportunities while increasing new equipment and production expenses for small businesses, and create a provision for a new Rural Opportunity Zone program.
• The Build It in America Act - This bill secures American supply chains and restores American competitiveness against efforts made by China. While promoting American jobs, the Build it in America Act will ensure mid-sized businesses can deduct borrowing costs by extending interest deductibility. The bill will repeal President Biden’s tax on petroleum and prevent foreign adversaries from purchasing American land with a blocking tax rule. 
• Defending American Jobs and investment Act - This bill has been co-sponsored by all Ways and Means Republican Members to implement taxes on any foreign country that enforces Americans to pay taxes under the OECD’s global minimum tax. 
• Tax Cuts for Working Families Act - This bill will provide a $4,000 Guaranteed Deduction Bonus for household budgets of middle-class families for the next two years.

Original source can be found here.