Tester to Senate Leadership: I Will Defeat ‘Awful’ Proposal to Impose 30% Sales Tax on Montanans

Senator pledges to take on anyone to defeat proposed tax hike on Montana’s working families;

“I am not going to let politicians in Washington, DC raise taxes on hardworking Montanans”

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today sent a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressing his opposition to H.R. 25, proposed legislation from House Republicans that would effectively create a 30 percent national sales tax. Tester outlined his opposition to the bill that would raise costs for working families and pledged to take on anyone to defeat the proposal on behalf of Montanans.

“This awful proposal would effectively create a 30 percent national sales tax,” wrote Tester in his letter to Senate leadership. “We don’t have a sales tax in Montana, and we don’t need the federal government imposing one on us… I am not going to let politicians in Washington, DC raise taxes on hardworking Montanans.”

Tester concluded: “Working families are getting killed by inflation, health care costs, and rising housing prices. The last thing they need is the creation of a national sales tax that would drive up costs for everything from gas to groceries. Instead of considering a reckless national sales tax, Congress should be focused on cutting taxes for small businesses and working families so they can keep more of what they earn. If brought to the U.S. Senate floor, I will take on anyone to defeat H.R. 25 on behalf of Montanans.”

Earlier this month, House Republicans introduced H.R. 25 and reportedly have an agreement with Speaker Kevin McCarthy to hold a vote on the tax bill. According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, this national sales tax would likely hit middle- and lower-income families harder than the current income tax system, and parents would be increasingly burdened by the plan.

Senator Tester first announced his opposition to the proposed sales tax this past week, emphasizing that the plan would raise taxes on every good from gas to groceries and skyrocket costs for Montana’s working families.

You can read Tester’s letter HERE.