Nevada's Congressional Delegation Weighs In On GOP Tax Plan

The Republican's plan to overhaul the tax code has passed both chambers of Congress and is on to President Donald Trump to sign into law. The bill's passage illustrated two things: How far apart Democrats and Republicans are on key issues facing America, and the power of the majority in Congress.

The vote was cast with unanimous Democratic opposition but passed through the Republican controlled House 227-203. The Senate passage was similar, with no Democrats supporting the legislation in a 51-48 passage.

Nevada's federal delegation is made up of four Democrats and two Republicans. Here's how they reacted to the passage of the tax overhaul.

Rep. Dina Titus (D), 1st Congressional District

Titus has been vocal about her opposition to the bill, tweeting numerous times this week about her "No" vote.

"Voting NO on the GOP tax scam right now on the House floor," she tweeted Tuesday. Later in the day she tweeted an article explaining the tax plan with the caption, "This bill is so bad I have to vote on it twice."

An official statement on her website that reads:

“Of the 50,000 constituents in my district who itemize their taxes, the majority earns less than $75,000 per year. Thousands of teachers are able to deduct expenses they incur to buy supplies for their classrooms. Students deduct interest on their loans. The sick and disabled deduct medical expenses. Taxpayers in my district reduce their burden by more than $1.4 billion every year with these deductions and others. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Do not be fooled by the ‘trickle-down’ rhetoric and the brackets in the GOP’s plan. Thirty-six million middle-class Americans will see a tax hike in this bill. Thousands of them live in my district.”

Rep. Mark Amodei (R), 2nd Congressional District

Amodei supported the legislation, and said in an official statement on his website that conferences between the House and Senate improved the bill for Nevadans. His entire statement reads:

“Much to my surprise, the conferencing process with the Senate resulted in the overall improvement of this bill in several areas. Based on the average incomes in CD-2, and the percentage of taxpayers currently taking the standard deduction versus those who itemize, all of the data I have evaluated on both sides of this argument leads me to believe this bill will result in widespread tax relief for Nevadans. These improvements will not only put more money back into the pockets of Nevada taxpayers, but they will also simplify the filing process while giving our nation’s job creators significant potential for reinvestment and growth.

“Finally, for the newborn deficit hawks, you either believe that more money circulating in the private sector increases tax collections – or you don’t. Based on my research, and the history lessons we’ve learned from the Kennedy and Reagan Administrations, I believe it. While only time will tell, I’ve never been a fan of anyone’s predictions regarding the state of our economy a decade from now.”

Rep. Jacky Rosen (D), 3rd Congressional District

Rosen opposed the bill, as all House Democrats did, and didn't allow the opportunity to make a campaign statement slip away in the process. Rosen will be vacating her House seat to run against Sen. Dean Heller in 2018 and made sure to mention his vote in her official statement released on Wednesday. Her statement reads:

“Senator Heller’s tax plan is a fraudulent rip-off that will hurt millions of working families and drive up health care premiums while giving away massive tax cuts to giant corporations and Wall Street banks. The goal of tax reform was supposed to be a simpler, fairer tax code – and by that measure, this final bill is an abject failure. This is the most unpopular piece of major legislation in decades for good reason, and Senator Heller will regret the day he bragged about helping write this disgraceful bill.”

Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D), 4th Congressional District

Kihuen blasted the tax plan as bad for the middle-class. He released a statement on Tuesday that reads:

“It is outrageous that Republicans chose to gift a giant holiday tax break to big corporations and the wealthiest Americans at the expense of middle-class families. Not only does the Republican tax plan raise taxes on 86 million hardworking Americans, it explodes the deficit and paves the way for future cuts to essential programs like Social Security and Medicare. As if that weren't enough, this legislation undermines the Affordable Care Act and will lead to nearly 13 million Americans becoming uninsured.

“Our country desperately needs tax reform that benefits middle and lower income Americans, not reform that shifts the tax burden away from corporations and the rich and onto working families. While Republicans may be proud of themselves for finally passing a piece of legislation, the American people see through the ruse. Hardworking Americans know that Republicans are turning their backs on them to pass a tax plan that our families and our country simply cannot afford.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D)

Cortez Masto slammed the bill, saying it was written behind closed doors without input from Democrats. Her official statement, which she posted on her Facebook and Twitter accounts, reads:

"To give a giant tax cut to corporations and the top 1%, Republicans ignored decades of their own fiscal responsibility gospel. Their reckless vote will harm generations to come and could make Social Security and Medicare the next potential target of Republican fiscal mismanagement. This partisan bill, drafted behind closed doors without the input of a single Democrat, balloons the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion, provides a permanent tax giveaway to corporations who ship American jobs overseas, and over time, will raise taxes on millions of middle class Americans. In addition, the GOP tax give away will leave 13 million more Americans without health insurance and send premiums and deductibles skyrocketing. Nevadans deserve better than a temporary tax cut. Our kids will be paying for this ill-conceived corporate giveaway for decades to come."

Sen. Dean Heller (R)

Heller voted "Yes" on the bill and said on his Twitter, contrary to statements made by Nevada's congressional Democrats, that the bill "is about empowering middle-class families."

Heller explained his position on the bill in an official statement posted on his website. His statements reads:

“Whether it’s the single mother in Gardnerville who works full-time or the ambitious entrepreneur in Reno who started a business while going to school, Nevadans throughout the state will benefit from the passage of this historic legislation. This bill will provide much-needed tax relief to Nevada’s middle-class families, jumpstart job creation, and drive growth in our communities throughout the state. From my provision to double the child tax credit from current law to lowering rates on middle-class families, our legislation finally gives Nevadans the break that they deserve by allowing them to keep more of their paychecks. As a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, I thank Chairman Hatch for his leadership and I’m incredibly proud of our work to move tax reform legislation for the first time in more than 30 years. As the son of a school cook and an auto mechanic, I was told that if you work hard and play by the rules then anything is possible, but the problem today is that too many people think that isn’t the case anymore. This bill will change that by empowering families and restoring their faith in the American dream, and I look forward to seeing this legislation sent to the President’s desk later this week.”

Images via Isaac Brekken/Associated Press

Editor's note: This article was updated to correct the House vote.