eNewsletters

Dear Friend,

This week, I joined my House colleagues in passing two important pieces of legislation: the Middle-Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act, which would repeal the “Cadillac Tax,” and the Raise the Wage Act of 2019. These bills would benefit hardworking American families by putting more money back in their pockets.

The Cadillac tax was a well-intentioned tax on the most expensive health care plans. Ideally, this tax would have put downward pressure on health plan costs but will instead simply increase out-of-pocket costs for families. The mechanics of the tax incentivize employers to steer their employees into health plans with high deductibles and greater cost-sharing just to avoid paying the additional tax on high premium health plans. Repealing the Cadillac Tax has been a bipartisan effort since I came to Congress in 2012 and I am pleased that I was able to help lead it this Congress[HK1] . Removing the Cadillac Tax is a meaningful first step toward lowering health costs for hardworking Americans and I look forward to the Senate taking up this legislation.

The Raise the Wage Act would increase the federal minimum wage over the next six years to $15 an hour, index future minimum wage increases to inflation, and slowly phase out the subminimum wage for tipped employees like waiters and waitresses, without eliminating tips. This critical legislation would benefit 33 million Americans by paying them a more competitive, living wage. We need an economy that works for everyone, and that starts with paying hardworking Americans a wage they deserve.

As always, I am here to help you. If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Sincerely,

Suzan