Jon Tester’s Record: $1.4 Trillion in Tax Cuts

Tester cuts taxes for middle-class families, small businesses, veterans

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, April 10, 2012

BILLINGS, Mont. – As a U.S. Senator, Jon Tester has helped secure $1.4 trillion in tax cuts that benefit Montana’s middle-class families, small businesses and veterans.

Tester has voted for numerous tax cuts on more than 30 different occasions to cut taxes for Montana families and businesses.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act, authored by Tester, helped businesses expand and included $95 million in tax cuts for small businesses who hire veterans. It was the only jobs bill that passed Congress in 2012.

Tester has supported tax cuts for the middle class through support of child tax credits, increases in take-home-pay, tax credits for first-time home buyers, tax credits for families sending kids to college, marriage penalty tax relief and The Making Work Pay tax credit.

“Jon helped secure dozens of tax cuts that put money in the pockets of Montanans and helped small businesses expand by creating new jobs,” said Montanans for Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy. “Jon is committed to building on his record by always searching for responsible tax cuts for middle-class families while protecting Medicare, education and veterans’ benefits.”

With Tester’s support for middle class families, federal income taxes have recently reached a 60-year low.

Tester’s record of Cutting Taxes includes:

  • Middle Class: In February Tester helped pass the Middle Class Tax relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which reduced taxes for the self-employed extended a reduction in employment tax rates for small businesses. [P.L.112-96; Senate Roll Call Vote #22, 2/17/2012; JCX-17-12, 2/16/12]
  • Middle Class: Tester supported the largest middle-class tax cut in our nation’s history in 2009 – including increased take-home-pay through The Making Work Pay tax credit, tax rebates of up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for married couples and per-child tax credit. [P.L. 110-185; CBO, 2/11/08]
  • Middle Class:Tester helped prevent a tax increase on the middle class by passing a temporary payroll tax cut extension to replace the Making Work Pay tax credit and extensions of the child tax credit, marriage penalty relief, American Opportunity Tax Credit, and AMT relief; estate and gift tax relief; and extensions of numerous individual and business tax credits. [Senate Roll Call Vote #276; P.L. 111-312; JCX-20-11]
  • Middle Class: Tester supported an extension of tax relief for the self-employed. [P.L.112-78; Senate UC, 12/23/2011; JCX-57-11, 12/23/11]
  • Middle Class:Tester helped create jobs and assist a rebounding housing market by extending and expanding the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers. [Senate Roll Call Vote #334, P.L. 111-92; JCX-45-09; CBO, 11/25/09]
  • Small Business: Tester helped pass tax relief for small businesses who purchase new equipment and hire low-income and disadvantaged workers. [Senate Roll Call Vote #126, P.L. 110-28; Senate Finance Committee, 5/24/07]
  • Small Business: Tester helped provide $12 billion in tax relief to small businesses by increasing the expensing limit for small businesses, making permanent the five-year carry back provisions for small businesses and making it easier for the self-employed to buy health insurance for themselves and their families by making the costs deductible. [Senate Roll Call Vote #237, P.L. 111-240; JCX-48-10; SBA, Small Business Jobs Act]
  • Small Business:Tester supported a payroll tax cut to businesses that hire unemployed workers and retain new workers. In 8 months, US employers had hired nearly 10.6 million workers who qualified for tax credits. Hiring Incentives To Restore Employment Act [P.L. 111-147; JCX-6-10; Treasury Department, 12/8/10]
  • Small Business:Tester supported numerous provisions to provide tax relief for small businesses by removing tax burdens.[P.L. 110-185; CBO, 2/11/08]
  • Small Business: Tester cosponsored a new law removing onerous reporting requirements to make businesses for transitions over $600 saving businesses $21.9 billion. [P.L. 112-9; Senate Roll Call Vote #49, 4/5/2011;  JCX-8-11Page 1; Bloomberg, 4/14/11]
  • Small Business and Veterans: Tester has put veterans to work while providing tax relief for small businesses by including $95 million in tax cuts for small businesses who hire veterans in the VOW to Hire Heroes Act. [Congressional Budget Office analysis, 11/9/11]
  • Small Business and Active Military:Tester helped provide mobilized National Guard members and their families tax cuts and a $4,000 tax credit to small businesses who employee mobilized Guard personnel. [PL 110-245; CBO, 5/29/08]

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