Horsford to House Speaker: End Taxes on Tips Today
Bipartisan Support Proves the Only Reason to Make Policy Political is to Play Politics with It
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) today sent a letter calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring legislation eliminating taxes on tips up for a vote in the House of Representatives.
Horsford’s call comes after the Senate passed a Republican-led proposal yesterday to end taxes on tips, and as a similar proposal in the House has been attached to a deeply partisan budget reconciliation proposal.
Horsford, who has led the fight to end taxes on tips in the House, urged Speaker Johnson to hold a standalone vote on the policy to remove politics from the process.
“There is no doubt that policy ending taxes on tips has bipartisan support – the only question is whether the House Speaker will bury that policy in a highly partisan and deeply flawed proposal,” Rep. Horsford said. “Speaker Johnson could bring legislation ending taxes on tips to the floor today and it would pass – it would become law, and millions of tipped workers across the country would keep more of their hard-earned money as a result.”
Congressman Horsford worked with advocates, tipped workers, and lawmakers from both parties to craft his legislation, the TIPS Act. Unlike Republican proposals to end taxes on tips, Horsford’s bill additionally ends the sub-minimum wage of $2.13 an hour that six million tipped workers across the country earn; ensures tipped workers continue contributing to Social Security; and prevents wealthy individuals from gifting their fortunes to their children tax-free by claiming the inheritance is a tip. Additionally, Horsford’s TIPS Act would provide permanent relief, whereas Republican proposals end after four years.
“To truly get the policy right as we eliminate taxes on tips, the House needs to consider my bill, the TIPS Act,” Horsford continued. “But we should not make the perfect the enemy of the good – Speaker Johnson has multiple options and any one of them would bring much-needed relief to tipped workers. Given the very public bipartisan support for this policy, the only reason to make this political is to play politics with it. I urge the Speaker to do the right thing, get this done, and deliver a win for the American people.”
Rep. Horsford’s letter to Speaker Johnson is available here.
More information about Rep. Horsford’s TIPS Act is available here.
Video of Rep. Horsford testifying today in the House Rules Committee about the need for a standalone vote is available here.
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