WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement regarding the failed procedural vote in the Senate on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.

“It is remarkable to me that a bill so widely supported by both Democrats and Republicans, a bill that was the result of hard, bipartisan negotiations between Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden and House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith, could not garner the support of Senate Republicans. We couldn’t even get through the procedural vote. It’s greatly disappointing. Everyone deserves to be able to meet their basic needs, especially children. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act is a prime example of how the tax code is one of our most important tools to help children and working families afford their day-to-day needs, including a safe and affordable place to call home.

“Senate Republicans rejected debate on legislation that would help lift 500,000 children out of poverty and provide much needed support to about 16 million children. This bill also would have expanded the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to ensure increased affordable rental units for working families. In addition to helping working families, the bill would have helped bolster small business innovation firms that rely on the Research and Development (R&D) tax incentive to help make America the frontrunner in cutting edge technology. Finally, the bill included critical legislation on Taiwan Double-Taxation relief that Chair Wyden and I, as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, worked on to help promote the United States’ and Taiwan’s collective prosperity, national security and economic resilience. We must find a path forward for this critical bipartisan tax package to ensure that all families, especially our most vulnerable, have the resources they need.”

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