Rep. Payne, Jr. Stands with Students Against the Republican Tax Scam

NEWARK, N.J. — Over the weekend, the Senate passed its comprehensive tax reform bill. At noon today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), will join Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09) and Albio Sires (NJ-08) at a joint press conference at Rutgers University—Newark. In advance of the press conference, Rep. Payne, Jr., issued the following statement:

“The Republican tax plan is an elitist scam that will give billionaires a break and leave students to pick up the check. For the cost of Republicans’ corporate tax cuts, the United States could provide full tuition for low-income students at public colleges. At a time when the country should be making college more affordable and more accessible, the Republicans have used their tax scam to declare war on higher education.

“The tax code is complex. The American people want a tax plan that makes the system easier to navigate and closes loopholes, but no one wants a tax code that increases the cost of higher education and makes college unaffordable.

“The Republican tax scam demands that students pay more so that multi-national corporations can pay less. Enough is enough. Republicans in Congress should scrap their tax scam and work with Democrats to create a bipartisan tax plan that creates jobs, builds infrastructure, helps out the poorest among us, strengthens the middle class, helps people get a good education, and requires billionaires to pay their fair share.”