Former Vice President Mike Pence is mobilizing his advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, to push for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts, a key component of the reconciliation package currently under review in Congress.
What Happened: Advancing American Freedom, founded by Pence, has initiated a campaign to extend the 2017 tax cuts. The group has launched a website that offers information and resources highlighting the advantages of the tax cuts. The website also explains how allowing the tax cuts to expire could lead to tax increases for families and businesses, and highlights how the tax cuts have contributed to federal revenue, reported The Hill.
The website launch is being paired with a letter to lawmakers and their staff, promoting it as a “one-stop shop” for information on why the tax cuts should be extended. The group is also restarting its ad campaign in Washington, D.C., featuring a spot that urges lawmakers to support the extension.
The Senate is currently advancing the reconciliation package, which features an extension of the 2017 tax cuts, increased funding for border security, and other major components of President Donald Trump‘s agenda. However, some Republicans have expressed concerns about the bill’s potential effect on the national debt and Medicaid provisions.
Why It Matters: The extension of the 2017 tax cuts has been a contentious issue in Congress. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the tax changes, including extending the 2017 tax act, would increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion. This has raised concerns about the bill’s impact on the national debt, a concern that has been echoed by some Republicans.
In May, it was reported that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could expire at the end of 2025 without a congressional extension. With Republican control of the presidency, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, an extension of the 2017 tax bill was expected to be a priority. However, the bill’s progress has been slow, and its potential impact on the national debt has been a point of contention.
Meanwhile, Pence has recently become more vocal in backing Trump's policies, despite having criticized them on multiple occasions in the past. In June, he lauded Trump’s decisive leadership in the historic mission against Iran’s nuclear program, praising the U.S. military’s courage and professionalism in executing the mission as a continuation of the Trump administration’s firm policies.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
