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Rogers Backs Tax Cut Compromise

In a rare bipartisan vote Congress extended a payroll tax holiday for millions of average workers, which Kentucky Republican Congressman Hal Rogers says is a good sign for the rest of the year.President Obama championed the bill for months yet party politics kept it locked-up on Capitol Hill. It annually puts around one thousand dollars into the pockets of average workers. The legislation also extends long-term unemployment benefits. In the end Republicans dropped their insistance that the payroll tax cut be paid for with budget cuts. And Democrats agreed to have new federal workers contribute more to their pensions. Congressman Rogers supported the tax break.

“I thought it was a good compromise,” said Rogers.

Now as the election year heats up Rogers has even tougher work ahead because he chairs the House Appropriations Committee. Republicans have been criticized for being “the party of no.”, but Rogers says this latest compromise proves the opposite.

“I think it demonstrates that on the House side that we want to do what’s right to create jobs, help people that are in desperate need of help. I think it shows that we have the ability to work together,” said Rogers.

Last year battles between the two parties threatened multiple government shutdowns and led to a costlier U-S credit rating....something Rogers hopes to avoid this election year.

 

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