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From: "Crapo News Release (Crapo)" <newsclips@crapo.senate.gov>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 17:13:12 -0400
Subject: CRAPO:  MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES HIT IN HEALTH PROPOSAL
Thread-Topic: CRAPO:  MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES HIT IN HEALTH PROPOSAL
Thread-Index: AcpC2/nqYO56dpY1QEy9/As7Ggc4bw==
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      =
                CONTACT:    Susan Wheeler (202) 224-5150

October 1, 2009                                                            =
                                                        Lindsay Nothern (20=
8) 344-1108









CRAPO: MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES HIT IN HEALTH PROPOSAL

  Draft under consideration by Finance Committee would violate President's =
pledge to Americans



Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo says the conceptual health care p=
roposal before the Senate Finance Committee creates an undue burden on the =
middle class by raising taxes on families making less than $250,000 a year.=
  He says those are the families the President pledged would not pay "one d=
ime" in new taxes under his proposal.  Crapo introduced an amendment before=
 the committee to strike such tax increases from the proposal.



"The bulk of the new taxes envisioned in this proposal, as estimated by Con=
gress's Joint Tax Committee, will fall on the middle class," Crapo said.  "=
We are looking at billions of dollars in tax increases that will fall on th=
ose individuals and families who the President promised to protect."



Crapo pointed to reports from both the Joint Tax Committee and the Congress=
ional Budget Office (CBO) in offering his amendment.  He said there are cle=
ar tax increases on the middle class in at least three areas of the health =
care proposal.  Those increases include:



*       The individual mandate to carry insurance means that there will be =
an excise tax of $1500 per family and $750 for individuals who fail to purc=
hase insurance.  The taxes are higher as incomes rise above 300 percent of =
the poverty level.



*       Tax penalties for those withdrawing money from Health Savings Accou=
nts (HSAs) for non-medical emergencies will double from 10 to 20 percent.



*       The tax floor for families seeking deductions for medical expenses =
will rise from 7.5 to 10 percent of income, meaning poorer families would h=
ave to spend even more money to reach the level for deducting those health =
expenses.  According to the Joint Tax Committee, of the 13.8 million U.S. t=
ax filers who will be subject to these higher taxes in 2017, only 86,000 wi=
ll have income above $200,000, meaning 99.6 percent of those affected by th=
is tax increase will have income below $200,000.



Regarding HSA taxes, Crapo noted that hard economic times could force famil=
ies to use money they hoped to save for health care on other needs.  "Doubl=
ing the penalty for doing this is an unnecessary and unwise tax increase on=
 these families," he added.



"In the case of excise taxes alone, the Joint Tax Committee said by 2016 th=
at 71% of the new taxes collected will come from families making less than =
$120,000," Crapo said.  "That's $120,000, not the $250,000 threshold that t=
he President promised would pay no new taxes under this plan."



Crapo's amendment failed on a bipartisan vote of 11-12.  He vowed to renew =
the effort on the Senate floor.



"Unfortunately, the Chairman seemed to be arguing that it is not possible t=
o pass a bill that both reforms our health care system and keeps the Presid=
ent's promise to the American people.  I disagree, and will continue to try=
 to protect middle class Americans as this legislation moves to the Senate =
floor.



"If we can't do health care reform without taxing people in the middle clas=
s and the lower income categories, then we've got the wrong plan in front o=
f us.  I believe we can do major and very helpful reforms that will increas=
e access, that will reduce costs, and will improve health care without impo=
sing these new taxes," Crapo concluded.











To directly link to this news release, please use the following address:

http://crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=3D318532<htt=
p://crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=3Dxxxxxx>



# # #

......................................................................

This is generated from an unattended mailbox. If you have constituent comme=
nts or information you would like forwarded to Senator Crapo, please do so =
at the Senator's website, http://crapo.senate.gov<http://crapo.senate.gov/>=
. Comments sent to this e-mail address will not be responded to.


--_000_EF22B21D8CEAA148B030C28A9708DB9EEF99E67ASENATEEX05senat_
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<div class=3D"Section1">
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-left:4.0in;text-indent:-4.0in"><font=
 size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Aria=
l">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        &nb=
sp;            =
            &nb=
sp;            =
            &nb=
sp;           CONTACT:&nb=
sp;   Susan Wheeler
 (202) 224-5150</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-left:4.0in;text-indent:-4.0in"><font=
 size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Aria=
l">October 1, 2009         &nb=
sp;            =
            &nb=
sp;            =
            &nb=
sp;            =
            &nb=
sp;            =
            &nb=
sp;     
 Lindsay Nothern (208) 344-1108</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"text-align:center"><b><fon=
t size=3D"5" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Ari=
al;font-weight:bold">CRAPO: MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES HIT IN HEALTH PROPOSAL
</span></font></b></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"text-align:center;line-hei=
ght:110%"><b><i><font size=3D"4" color=3D"black" face=3D"Arial"><span style=
=3D"font-size:14.0pt;line-height:110%;
font-family:Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"> </s=
pan></font></i></b><b><i><font size=3D"4" color=3D"black" face=3D"Arial"><s=
pan style=3D"font-size:14.0pt;line-height:110%;
font-family:Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"> Dra=
ft
 under consideration by Finance Committee would violate President’s p=
ledge to Americans</span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"text-align:center"><i><fon=
t size=3D"1" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Aria=
l;font-style:italic"> </span></font></i></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
  font-family:Arial">Washington</span></font><font face=3D"Arial"><span sty=
le=3D"font-family:Arial">, DC</span></font><font face=3D"Arial"><span style=
=3D"font-family:Arial"> – Idaho Senator
 Mike Crapo says the conceptual health care proposal before the Senate Fina=
nce Committee creates an undue burden on the middle class by raising taxes =
on families making less than $250,000 a year.  He says those are the f=
amilies the President pledged would not
 pay “one dime” in new taxes under his proposal.  Crapo in=
troduced an amendment before the committee to strike such tax increases fro=
m the proposal.</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">“The bulk of the new taxes envisioned in this prop=
osal, as estimated by Congress’s Joint Tax Committee, will fall on th=
e middle class,” Crapo said.  “We are
 looking at billions of dollars in tax increases that will fall on those in=
dividuals and families who the President promised to protect.”</span>=
</font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">Crapo pointed to reports from both the Joint Tax Committ=
ee and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in offering his amendment.&nbs=
p; He said there are clear tax
 increases on the middle class in at least three areas of the health care p=
roposal.  Those increases include:</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<ul style=3D"margin-top:0in" type=3D"disc">
<li class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font=
-size:12.0pt;
     font-family:Arial">The individual mandate to carry insurance means tha=
t there will be an excise tax of $1500 per family and $750 for individuals =
who fail to purchase insurance. 
 The taxes are higher as incomes rise above <font color=3D"black"><span sty=
le=3D"color:black">300 percent of
</span></font>the poverty level.  </span></font></li></ul>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<ul style=3D"margin-top:0in" type=3D"disc">
<li class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font=
-size:12.0pt;
     font-family:Arial">Tax penalties for those withdrawing money from Heal=
th Savings Accounts (HSAs) for non-medical emergencies will double from 10 =
to 20 percent.
</span></font></li></ul>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<ul style=3D"margin-top:0in" type=3D"disc">
<li class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font=
-size:12.0pt;
     font-family:Arial">The tax floor for families seeking deductions for m=
edical expenses will rise from 7.5 to 10 percent of income, meaning poorer =
families would have to spend
 even more money to reach the level for deducting those health expenses.&nb=
sp; According to the Joint Tax Committee, of the 13.8 million U.S. tax file=
rs who will be subject to these higher taxes in 2017, only 86,000 will have=
 income above $200,000, meaning 99.6
 percent of those affected by this tax increase will have income below $200=
,000. 
</span></font></li></ul>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">Regarding HSA taxes, Crapo noted that hard economic time=
s could force families to use money they hoped to save for health care on o=
ther needs.  “Doubling the
 penalty for doing this is an unnecessary and unwise tax increase on these =
families,” he added.</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">“In the case of excise taxes alone, the Joint Tax =
Committee said by 2016 that 71% of the new taxes collected will come from f=
amilies making less than $120,000,”
 Crapo said.  “That’s $120,000, not the $250,000 threshold=
 that the President promised would pay no new taxes under this plan.”=
</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">Crapo’s amendment failed on a bipartisan vote of 1=
1-12.  He vowed to renew the effort on the Senate floor.</span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">“Unfortunately, the Chairman seemed to be arguing =
that it is not possible to pass a bill that both reforms our health care sy=
stem and keeps the President’s promise
 to the American people.  I disagree, and will continue to try to prot=
ect middle class Americans as this legislation moves to the Senate floor.&n=
bsp;
</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">”If we can’t do health care reform without t=
axing people in the middle class and the lower income categories, then we&#=
8217;ve got the wrong plan in front of us. 
 I believe we can do major and very helpful reforms that will increase acce=
ss, that will reduce costs, and will improve health care without imposing t=
hese new taxes,” Crapo concluded.</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><a name=3D"OLE_LINK1"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial=
"><span style=3D"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></font></=
a></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial">To directly link to this news release, please use the fo=
llowing address:
</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" color=3D"blue" face=3D"Arial"><span=
 style=3D"font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"><a href=3D"http://crapo.senate.gov/med=
ia/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=3Dxxxxxx">http://crapo.senate.gov/media=
/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=3D318532</a></span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-=
size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial"> </span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"text-align:center"><font s=
ize=3D"3" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"=
># # #</span></font></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"text-align:center"><font s=
ize=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"=
>......................................................................</sp=
an></font></p>
<p><font size=3D"2" color=3D"black" face=3D"Arial"><span style=3D"font-size=
:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:black">This is generated from an unattended mailbox=
. If you have constituent comments or information you would like forwarded =
to Senator Crapo, please do so
 at the Senator's website, <a href=3D"http://crapo.senate.gov/" title=3D"ht=
tp://crapo.senate.gov/">
http://crapo.senate.gov</a>. Comments sent to this e-mail address will not =
be responded to.</span></font></p>
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