Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Opposing Republican Plan to Impose National Sales Tax

Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Opposing Republican Plan to Impose National Sales Tax

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley joined his Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution opposing Congressional Republicans’ plan to impose a nationwide sales tax on all goods and services, which would increase prices for hardworking families by 30 percent. Instead of this misguided tax increase, the resolution calls for supporting a tax cut that will help working families and grow the middle class.

“As many Americans face rising costs for everyday necessities such as food, medicine, and housing, we must work to reduce the burden of inflation, not impose an outrageous sales tax that would raise the price of everything by an additional 30 percent,” said Senator Merkley. “This plan for a national sales tax will hurt hardworking individuals and households across the nation. I’ll keep fighting for tax policies that give relief to working and middle class families while ensuring wealthy corporations and billionaires pay their fair share.”

This resolution opposes the House Republican proposal to impose a 30 percent sales tax on all goods and services, raising prices for hardworking families and seniors. The resolution also supports the passage of a responsible tax cut to benefit hardworking families and grow the middle class, while ensuring that the ultra-wealthy and billion-dollar corporations pay their fair share. The resolution also explicitly opposes paying for any tax cuts with cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, or cuts to pay or benefits for servicemembers, veterans, or law enforcement.

The resolution was led by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Jon Tester (D-MT). Alongside Merkley, the resolution was cosponsored by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Debbie Stabenow (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

Text of the full resolution can be found here.

Recent Press