Pennsylvania’s Senators each issued statements regarding the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ deal brokered in the wee hours New Year’s Day.
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, said “While this deal is far from perfect, the Senate took the appropriate steps to protect the middle class and keep in place common sense measures – like the earned income tax credit and unemployment insurance – that will help keep the economy on track. I am hopeful that the House will do the same. While we may have avoided some of the immediate catastrophic consequences of the fiscal cliff, there is much more work to be done. Moving forward, Republicans and Democrats need to come together to reduce the deficit in smart and responsible ways that protect working families and continue to create jobs.”
Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) this morning issued the following statement on the fiscal cliff: “One of my top priorities since coming to Congress has been to pursue policies that maximize economic growth and job creation. Lower taxes do both. Consistent with this commitment, today, I voted to protect 99 percent of taxpayers from a large tax increase. In addition, we made this tax relief permanent, thereby establishing the predictability necessary to promote economic growth and job creation. Neither side got everything it wanted in this deal. I had to accept provisions I did not like – my preference would have been to avoid higher taxes for all Americans. But I believe this legislation is the best we could do for taxpayers and job seekers in Pennsylvania.”