To the Editor,

May was a very busy month in Washington as the House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

In mid-April, the House and Senate agreed to a budget resolution, which set House Committees off to the races to draft legislative recommendations based on the agreed budget targets. One of the largest of these components was the responsibility of the Ways & Means Committee, which I am a member of. We were tasked with delivering on our promises to the American people to provide critical tax relief to the average taxpayer. I was honored to play such a pivotal role in this process, which began years ago when we traveled the country, including an official Committee hearing in Kimball, Minn., hearing from and talking to constituents about what they really need. We were told in no uncertain terms that the 2017 tax cuts needed to be made permanent. We heard the American people loud and clear and developed a recommendation to deliver for families, farmers, and small businesses like those in Minnesota’s Seventh District. 

When it came time to debate this legislation in the Committee, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle spent nearly 18 hours arguing against this tax relief package, but common sense prevailed. After going through the Budget Committee, the entire bill package came to the Rules Committee, which I am also a proud member of, for another debate. This time, the Democrats took 21 hours to argue against these historic tax cuts and spread false narratives about the contents of the bill, particularly with regard to Medicaid. Maybe you have also been hearing this, and I would like to set the record straight. The Left is trying to scare people into thinking Republicans want to gut Medicaid. This is simply not true. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act protects Medicaid for those who need and deserve it. Our goal is to cut out the waste, fraud and abuse! Under the current system, the illegal immigrant who murdered Laken Riley, a nursing student in Georgia, was eligible for Medicaid. I think we can all agree that is just wrong. We are ensuring our government is spending your tax dollars correctly by stopping 1.4 million illegal aliens from stealing coverage and 4.8 million able-bodied adults with no dependents from taking taxpayer dollars without working part-time, engaging in educational opportunities, or volunteering in their communities. Some people have also wrongfully claimed that this is a tax break for billionaires. The truth is the median household income in the Seventh District is $70,000, and the average taxpayer here would see a 25 percent increase in taxes if the 2017 tax cuts are allowed to expire. 

I am very proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to make this a bill by the people and for the people of the United States, and I am excited to tell you a little more about what is in it. First and foremost, it makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, which have been so beneficial for families and small businesses to grow and thrive, even during the uncertain economic times we experienced over the last several years. This bill permanently doubles the guaranteed Standard Deduction and expands it by $2,000 for every American family. It creates new tax relief for seniors by adding an additional $4,000 deduction for those aged 65 and over. It makes the 199A small business deduction permanent and expands it to 23 percent for the over 60,000 small businesses in the 7th District. It makes the doubled Death Tax Exemption permanent and expands it for the nearly 30,000 farms in the 7th District, helping families pass down their life’s work to the next generation. It prevents the Child Tax Credit from being cut in half and expands the credit to $2,500 to support 74,460 families in the 7th District. It eliminates tax on tips and overtime pay. And, it expands 529 education plans so families can make the right choices for them, including using 529s for K-12 education materials, universities, or trade schools. It does all this while also supporting efforts to secure the border, unleash American energy dominance, and make the federal government work better to serve the American people and not waste their tax dollars. The country told us what they needed from us, and House Republicans are committed to delivering on that promise. Anyone who voted against this bill is not listening to what the American people are telling Congress they need.

This has been a long process, and it is far from over. Now, the Senate has the opportunity to make changes to the bill, and we in the House will have to work with them to come to an agreement. I encourage you to call your Senators and tell them to pass this critical tax relief quickly so this crucial legislation can get to the President’s desk and be signed into law this summer. If you have any questions or if my office can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my team at Fischbach.house.gov or (320) 403-6100. 

Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach

Minnesota District 7