Oklahoma Congressman Address Dem's Tax Proposal

A package of proposed tax hikes targeting the wealthiest individuals and corporations is being taken up for debate by the powerful House Ways and Means Committee as the Democratic-controlled Congress navigates toward passage of President Biden’s $3.5 trillion economic agenda.

The tax proposal would reverse many of the cuts that came with passage of President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but not to the extent that President Biden has advocated. For example, the Democrats’ proposal would raise the top tax rate on corporations to 26.5% instead of 28% as Biden had suggested.

Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hern, (R) OK-1, sits on Ways and Means and says, not only does he oppose the tax increases Democrats are seeking, he opposes the way the package is being rushed through.

Hern said, prior to passage of the Trump tax package, “Ways and Means Committee used four days to go over the tax changes -- four days, after being debated through committees for some months and months…And now here we are in 24 hours or less debating a tax proposal in Ways and Means that has not gone through committee yet.”

Rep. Hern also believes the whole process is a waste of time, since he says moderate Democrats in the Senate aren’t going to vote for it.

Hern spoke with News 9's D.C. Bureau Chief Alex Cameron in our 6 p.m. newscast Tuesday.