Tax Bill Threatens Critical Programs – Act Now

Congress is moving quickly to pass a tax bill that will place critical programs for people with disabilities at great risk!  The bill will reduce federal revenues so much that Congress is all but certain to move to cut programs to pay for the tax cuts.  In fact, several Members of Congress have been promised that Medicaid and other programs will be cut next year if Congress votes for a bill that increases the deficit.

We need your help to stop this dangerous legislation!

Congress is also planning to repeal the “individual mandate” that requires people to obtain health care coverage or face penalties. This will result in nearly 14 million people losing health coverage and will increase premiums for people buying insurance on the health insurance exchange by 10% every year.  The individual mandate is a critical piece of the complex system of incentives and penalties created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and repealing it would undermine the entire law. 

This bill is moving quickly – the full Senate is expected to vote the week after Thanksgiving. The Senate Finance Committee is working on its tax bill right now and is expected to approve it this week.

TAKE ACTION

Use the form below to call your Senators today.

TALKING POINTS:

  • I am a member of The Arc.
  • Please vote against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
  • This bill will harm people with disabilities by reducing needed federal revenue and taking away health care for many people.

Click here to send an action alert.

Recent Developments

House Bill

  • 11/14 –  CBO issued letter on implications of a enacting a bill that would increase deficits by $1.5 trillion over a 10-year window, without enacting any further legislation to offset that increase.  This would trigger $136 billion in automatic spending cuts to mandatory programs in the current fiscal year, including Medicare which would be cut by $25 billion.   See letter.
  • 11/16 – House passed the bill.  See article, “House plan is fiscally irresponsible,” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Senate Bill

  • 11/14 – New chairman’s mark of the still-unpublished bill was released.  The one published last week must be revised (to meet the rules for budget reconciliation) to pass the bill with a simple majority vote (50, plus tie breaking vote of the Vice President) in the Senate.
  • 11/15 – Repeal of the Individual Mandate to obtain health care insurance was added to the Senate Bill.  This will result in nearly 14 million people losing health coverage and will increase premiums for people buying insurance on the health insurance exchange by 10% per year.  The individual mandate is a critical piece of the complex system of incentives and penalties created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The ACA greatly benefits people with disabilities by eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions, banning annual and lifetime limits, and prohibiting discrimination based on health status, and much more (learn more here).  Adding the repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate would undermine the entire law.  Once again, Congress is trying to repeal without replacing our health care system. Learn more here.
  • 11/13-17 – Senate Finance Committee is marking up its bill and may vote on it by the end of the week.  See The Arc’s action alert .
  • Week of Nov 27 – Full Senate may vote on its tax bill.

Public Opinion

Comparison of House & Senate Bills Provisions Most Relevant to Disability Community

  • Click here.  Will be updated as needed.

Resources/Media from Other Constituencies Opposing Tax Bills

Social Media Resources

https://twitter.com/centeronbudget

Field Events Opposing Tax Plans

http://stoptrumptaxcuts.com/events/
 

Meg Cooch Signature
Meg Cooch
Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
Meg@thearcofil.org