Local Congressmen Say Americans Deserve More

By Published Dec 22, 2011 03:09 pm Updated Dec 22, 2011 02:51 pm

Washington DC– Both Congressmen Dan Lungren and Jeff Denham sounded off this week about extending payroll tax cuts.

Lungren voted to extend payroll tax relief, and to extend and reform unemployment insurance, for a full year.

He says the vote to reject the Senate amendment to H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, places American middle class families first. H.R. 3630 extends unemployment benefits and extends the Medicare physicians reimbursement fix for two years. His vote was in response to the Senate’s action in voting to only do this for 2 months. Lungren released the following statement:

“The Senate decided to extend the payroll tax cut for two months and then go on vacation. My colleagues and I, decided to stay in Washington and fight for a full year extension – as originally voted out of the House on Dec 14. A two-month extension does not provide security to hard working families who are struggling in this economy. The Senate needs to return to Washington and extend these programs for a full year. Governing in 2 month increments is no way to govern. It is time to get serious about doing all we can to put people back to work and stop playing games.”

Dan Lungren’s 3rd Congressional District includes Calaveras County.

Meanwhile, District 19 Congressman Jeff Denham this week also voted for a one year extension of payroll tax cuts. He released the following statement:

“One of the most serious threats to job creation in America remains the overwhelming uncertainty that continues to hang over our economy. Every employer knows, businesses cannot plan their taxes or budgets for the next year in two-month intervals – neither can American families. The year-long extension of the payroll tax cut will provide relief and certainty for middle class families and job creators. A 60 day ‘fix’ is not the answer. The President has called for a year-long extension of the tax cut, and the American people are tired of band-aid fixes that temporarily provide relief instead of solving the real problems at hand. Rather than forcing increased uncertainty on job creators and hard-working Americans for another two months, the Senate should come back to the table and work with the House to find a long-term solution now.”

Jeff Denham’s 19th Congressional District includes Tuolumne County.