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Click here to watch Rep. Jimmy Gomez remarks here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a House Ways & Means Committee hearing, Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) today delivered remarks calling out House Republicans for pushing to give ultrawealthy billionaires more tax breaks at the expense of working families in his district and across the U.S.

Congressman Gomez expressed his commitment to securing essential resources for firefighters combatting the LA wildfires and helping people rebuild their homes. He drew attention to the challenges working families face, saying, “Between groceries, housing, and child care costs…working families are exhausted. As Republicans talk about their new tax bill and how it’s supposedly great for working families, let’s remember what they did last time…they rewrote the tax code to enrich their donors while everyone else got peanuts.”

Gomez then called for Congress to give working families a much-needed break by cutting red tape to build homes families can afford, providing downpayment assistance for first homebuyers, creating a national paid leave program, and making child care affordable. He asked one of the witnesses, “Republicans often say we don’t have the money for these sorts of investments. But let me ask you this: If we made billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg pay their fair share in taxes, do you think we could afford these things I just mentioned?”

“Absolutely. The Biden budget contained a minimum tax on billionaires, as well as reforms to how we tax capital gains for the highest income Americans. It raised trillions of dollars,” said Brendan Duke, Senior Director for Economic Policy at Center for American Progress.

Congressman Gomez added, “And it is our job to push back against those individuals who want to pass a tax structure that benefits themselves at the expense of the working class.”

Between his Dads Caucus and Renters Caucus, Rep. Gomez is leading over 60 members to fight for policy solutions that lower costs for families and increase access to housing that’s affordable. These priorities directly overlap with the work ahead for the Ways and Means Committee. As chair and founder of the Dads Caucus, Rep. Gomez is focused updating the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to include monthly checks and full refundability so working families can access the CTC. Additionally, he has introduced legislation to provide down payment assistance for first time homebuyers, help Americans afford their monthly rent, and incentivize building new starter homes.  

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