Washington D.C. - Last night, the United States House of Representatives voted 392 - 30 to pass H.R. 7005, which adds $65 billion to the national debt. 

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas Second District) issued the following statement regarding the Alternative Minimum Tax vote: 

“Last night's Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) bill achieved an admirable goal in the worst possible way.  It helped prevent the AMT from hitting middle-class families, but it did so by charging $65 billion to the federal budget deficit.  It flagrantly violated pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budget rules, and in this time of record budget deficits, that is inexcusable. 

“Congress cannot continue to pass trillions of dollars in debt along to future generations.  We must do the hard work of finding ways to cut middle-class taxes without inflating the deficit. 

“Fixing the AMT is a top priority, and every year, I vote to do so.  What I don't understand is what's so objectionable about paying for it.  Congress needs to pass a bill that fixes the AMT without borrowing from China to pay for it. 

“Last year, I voted for a bill to do precisely that.  It protected 23 million middle-class families from the AMT, and it paid for itself by cracking down on a tax giveaway for millionaire money managers. 

“Earlier this year I voted for another bill that fixed the AMT for 25 million middle-class families, by cracking down on overseas tax loopholes. This isn't rocket science, folks.  There are many better ways to pay for middle-class tax relief than charging the cost to our children.”