Texas' two Republican senators and four of the state's GOP House members, none of them from Tarrant County, joined Democrats this week in passing legislation aimed at ending the fight over the "fiscal cliff."
They touted success in avoiding widespread tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts scheduled to take effect in 2013 but didn't address other issues, such as payroll taxes, which will go up for workers nationwide."I am pleased to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to make critical parts of our tax code permanent for all North Texans," said U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Dallas, one of the four Texas House Republicans who supported the measure. "As job-destroying taxes from Obamacare hit families and businesses this year, it is crucial to provide permanent tax certainty in the marketplace to allow our economy to grow and for small businesses to invest and hire."This urgent action on the fiscal cliff tax provisions is simply the first battle, and we must now work to reduce government spending. The president's out-of-control spending and our skyrocketing debt are unsustainable."Sessions, who holds the influential post of Rules Committee chairman, was joined by other high-ranking Texas Republicans in supporting the deal.Reps. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, Lamar Smith of San Antonio and Mac Thornberry of Clarendon were also among Republicans supporting the deal negotiated by Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. All nine Democratic House members from Texas voted for the measure.The House vote was 257-167. Retiring Rep. Ron Paul, R-Lake Jackson, did not cast a vote. The Senate vote was 89-8. The payroll tax is expected to rise because officials didn't extend a reduction. The rate was lowered in 2011 to 4.2 percent from 6.2 percent.Here's what local members had to say about the vote.Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth: "Avoiding the so-called 'fiscal cliff' was important, but not at any price. I supported extending the tax cuts and addressing other issues that will help small business and middle-class families, but the bill did not address the massive spending by the Congress and the administration. This bill adds $4 trillion over the next 10 years and just kicks the can down the road for two months on sequestration, leaving our military and defense industry in limbo."Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis: "I voted against the deal on a matter of principle because it increases spending by $330 billion and increases the deficit by almost $4 trillion over 10 years. Rather than focusing on spending reductions, the deal does nothing but feed more hard-earned taxpayer dollars into Washington while sinking our nation further into a pit of debt. Unfortunately, the fight for a fair solution towards economic stability is far from over. ... Republicans have to keep fighting for significant spending reductions. It's the only solution the current administration hasn't tried, so quitting our efforts now is simply not an option. We must have real, immediate spending cuts."Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville, said during a radio interview that he couldn't support the bill because there weren't enough spending cuts. "When are we going to get around to that little aspect of budgeting?" he asked radio host Mark Davis on Wednesday. "It was just an impossible situation."Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas: "The agreement was not a perfect proposal, but it avoided serious damage to our national economy. One of my concerns about the measure is that it did not generate nearly enough revenue. I am afraid that the haste and the lack of detailed effort will ultimately translate to a series of tax hikes and spending cuts in future years that will negatively impact the middle class and the poor."Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell: "It adds nearly $4 trillion in new debt over 10 years, it raises taxes, and it postpones previously agreed to spending cuts. This bill fails to address the driving force of our nation's debt: out-of-control federal spending. If we are going to restore the nation's credit rating, we must set our nation back on a path to fiscal sanity. Unfortunately, the president has once again failed to take the nation's perilous economic situation seriously."The tax rate increases he has stubbornly insisted on would pay for less than a week of government spending. The mess we find ourselves in isn't the result of taxes being too low. It is the predictable consequence of a tax-borrow-and-spend mentality that must end."Sen. John Cornyn: "I voted for this bill because it prevents a huge tax increase on 99 percent of all Texans and Americans. Nonetheless, I am dismayed at the lack of seriousness by the president on dealing with the core issues of our fiscal problems. Our spending is unsustainable, and it is high time the president and his party engage in meaningful dialogue to get this country's spending under control."Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: "The agreement is not perfect, but it leaves in place important tax cuts that protect 99 percent of working Americans. I would prefer not raising taxes on anyone, but the president and Senate majority had the votes to raise taxes even more, and this agreement prevents most of those increases. This measure also extends unemployment benefits, extends key business tax credits and prevents harmful cuts to Medicare and our national defense."For Texans, this bill preserves the state sales tax exemption from federal income taxes, affecting our state and seven other states where residents pay a sales tax, but no state income tax. This is a provision I originally sponsored to assure equity among the states. This is only a first step in addressing the major fiscal challenges facing our country. It is imperative that the new Congress begin work as soon as possible to get government spending and our national debt under control. Only a comprehensive package of tax and spending reforms will ultimately put our national economy back on track."Anna M. Tinsley, 817-390-7610Twitter: @annatinsleyHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
