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FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

House Committee Review of the 2017 Tax Law

Original title: THE 2017 TAX LAW AND WHO IT LEFT BEHIND

January 1, 2020

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing marks the first formal congressional review of the 2017 tax law's impact on the federal deficit, which the Committee estimates at $2.3 trillion, and its effects on healthcare coverage and tax benefits for working families.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Working families

The law altered the growth rate of the Earned Income Tax Credit and did not provide new subsidies for childcare or education.

Corporations and business owners

These groups received tax cuts under the 2017 law.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on March 27, 2019, to evaluate the economic and social impacts of the 2017 tax law. Chairman Richard E. Neal opened the session by criticizing the law's legislative process and its focus on corporate tax cuts over support for working families.

Key Facts

  • The 2017 tax law was passed in 51 days without committee hearings or expert testimony.
  • The Committee estimates the total cost of the 2017 tax law to the federal deficit at $2.3 trillion.
  • The law included tax cuts for corporations, business owners, and those inheriting large sums of money.
  • The law slowed the growth rate of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for workers without children.
  • The law did not include provisions to assist with childcare costs, education expenses, or student loan debt.
  • The Committee alleges the law contributed to increased health insurance costs and potential loss of coverage for millions of Americans.

Why It Matters

This hearing marks the first formal congressional review of the 2017 tax law's impact on the federal deficit, which the Committee estimates at $2.3 trillion, and its effects on healthcare coverage and tax benefits for working families.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?
To conduct a review of the 2017 tax law's impact on American families and the economy, as no hearings were held prior to its passage.
How much did the 2017 tax law increase the federal deficit according to the Committee?
The Committee estimates the law increased the deficit by $2.3 trillion.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Legislative Process Critique

The hearing highlights a shift in oversight, where the Committee is reviewing a major law long after its passage due to the lack of initial hearings.

Connected Entities

personJason OhWitness, Professor of Law at UCLAMap →
personRichard E. NealChairman of the House Committee on Ways and MeansMap →
organizationCommittee on Ways and MeansHouse committee conducting the hearingMap →
personElise GouldWitness, Senior Economist at Economic Policy InstituteMap →
personNancy AbramowitzWitness, Director of the Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax ClinicMap →
personChristopher M. SheltonWitness, President of Communication Workers of AmericaMap →
personDouglas Holtz-EakinWitness, President of American Action ForumMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy75
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment40
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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