Hatch Statement on Ten-Month Extension of Payroll Tax Holiday

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today opposed legislation that would extend the payroll tax holiday, unemployment insurance, and patch Medicare physician payment rates through 2012.

“I appreciate the hard work of everyone involved to reach a meaningful compromise that includes some much-needed reforms to some of our nation’s social welfare programs. I ultimately cannot support this proposal that would add another $100 billion to our nation’s over $15 trillion debt and that would siphon off more money out of our near bankrupt Social Security program,” said Hatch. “Our economy, our families and our job creators need certainty – not more short-term fixes. Permanent, pro-growth tax relief through a meaningful overhaul of our burdensome tax code is the best means of getting our country back on track, and is something that I am committed to achieving.”

Hatch praised the inclusion in the final bill of a provision based on legislation he authored in the Senate (S. 943, the Welfare Integrity Now for Children and Families Act) to bring common-sense reforms to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to prevent those benefits from being used at casinos, liquor stores or strip clubs.

“I’m pleased that reforms to the TANF program that I authored have been included in this final legislation,” continued Hatch. “These benefits are supposed to help families get back on their feet, but are too often being misused, leaving taxpayers and the truly disadvantaged on the hook. This provision makes critical reforms to ensure that these benefits are used as they are intended.”

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