I come to the floor today in support of permanently repealing the onerous, job-killing 3 percent withholding law.  During House action last month, this legislation garnered more than 400 votes for repeal and passed, as amended, with an overwhelming 95 votes in the Senate last week.    

The legislation, which has been championed by Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Wally Herger and our Democrat colleague Earl Blumenauer, is supported by President Obama and makes clear that when we work together, we can find bipartisan solutions to the laws and regulations that stifle job creation.  This legislation does just that and frees up valuable resources businesses can use for hiring.

In addition to the provisions in the House-passed 3 percent withholding bill, the Senate amendment contains a variety of veterans-related provisions – a group of Americans clearly deserving of our support.  

Finally, the Senate Amendment retains another provision passed by this House with bipartisan support and authored by one of the newest members of the Ways and Means Committee – Representative Diane Black. 

Ms. Black’s legislation modifies the income definition for determining eligibility for exchange subsidies, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program – conforming the definition of income in the Democrats’ health law to the standards used by other federal low-income programs such as food stamps and public housing.  In doing so, taxpayers save $13 billion and Medicaid funds will not be diverted away from serving America’s low-income families.

Mr. Speaker, today we can take the final step and send this deficit reducing and job creating legislation to the President’s desk.  I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 674, and I look forward to seeing the President sign this bill into law.