Join disabled Americans, our families, and advocates around the nation Monday, December 18th, for a national call–in day to oppose the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). STOP THE GOP #TaxOnDisability!
House and Senate Republicans reached agreement Wednesday, December 13, on a merged version of the House and Senate tax plans. Most expect the two chambers of Congress to unveil the final bill Friday, December 15, and vote on the legislation early next week so they can send it to President Trump for his signature before Christmas.
The bill text is schedued to be released at the last minute today, Friday, December 15, at 5:30 pm EST. Once the conferees sign the report, as they were scheduled to do this morning – the language is locked in.
Complete details are not yet public, but we can expect the GOP tax bill to hurt disabled Americans and their families in numerous ways:
- Severely cutting revenue needed to fund Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, housing, and other services that people with disabilities rely on to go to school, work and live independently.
- More than $1 trillion will be slashed to “pay for” tax cuts that disproportionately benefit already wealthy Americans and large corporations.
- Members of Congress have already revealed to media and constituents that they plan to make additional cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and other programs that low–income families, senior citizens and disabled people rely on, to make up for the increased deficit caused by the tax bill.
- Harmful provisions that would directly hurt disabled Americans could reappear in the final repeal bill. This includes tax deductions and credits that currently help people with disabilities pay for medical expenses, work, housing access, and expensive medications. All of these things have been agreed to in previous versions of either the House or Senate tax bills.
- Lastly, the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate—which requires the purchase of health insurance—is likely to be removed which will cause premiums for people with disabilities and pre–existing conditions to skyrocket, making heath insurance unaffordable for millions.
Follow actions and activities across social media all day Monday, December 18, using the hashtag #TaxOnDisability.
In the meantime, it is important to keep up the pressure.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Call the Capitol switchboard at:
202-224-3121 (voice)
202-224-3091 (tty)
Event page for friends and family not on Facebook
Image Credit: George Danby | Bangor Daily News
