Congressman Charles Bass

December 22, 2011

WASHINGTON – Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) issued the following statement this afternoon following reports that House Leadership will bring a tweaked two-month extension of the payroll tax cut up for a vote.

On Tuesday, Bass was one of seven Republicans to vote against rejecting the Senate's original two-month extension proposal that garnered the support of 39 Republican senators and would have guaranteed the prevention of a tax increase on Granite Staters on January 1st.

Bass said:

"Having voted against the bill that rejected the Senate's two-month extension compromise, I am pleased the House will now reconsider its position and support this important short term measure.

"As I've said during this debate, extending the payroll tax cut, unemployment benefits, and the Medicare physician reimbursement rate for two months is better than not extending it all to prevent a tax increase on hardworking New Hampshire families on January 1st. We now need to work on a longer-term extension of these important benefits.

"Raising taxes on working middle class families during the holidays – or at any time of year for that matter – is not what we need in this tough economic climate."

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