MIKE THOMPSON. File photo

By Donna Beth Weilenman
Martinez News-Gazette
Special to the Herald

A bill amendment written by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson to provide targeted tax relief for victims of natural disasters, was rejected by the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Napa Democrat said he isn’t happy about it.

Thompson, who represents Benicia, said in an issued statement that Republicans on the House Committee unanimously voted against the amendment to House of Representatives Bill 6760, which Thompson described as the second iteration of the Republican-led tax cut bill.

“In the last year, our district has suffered both the most destructive and the largest fire in California history,” Thompson said in the prepared statement.

“The survivors of these fires and all natural disasters should not have to come begging to Congress to get tax relief as they work to recover and rebuild,” he said.

“Last year, after hurricanes ravaged his Texas district, Chairman (Kevin) Brady offered a bill that provided targeted tax relief for the victims of disaster that struck his community,” Thompson said. “Today, he and the rest of the Republicans on the committee rejected my amendment that would provide the same disaster tax relief to all survivors of natural disasters.”

Thompson called the rejection of his amendment “hypocrisy,” adding, “We shouldn’t be turning our backs on those who need help the most. We should be providing a path for them to get back on their feet.”

He was critical of HR 6760, calling it “reckless policy focused on gifting huge, unpaid for tax cuts for the richest one percent, while eliminating tax incentives for the middle class and leaving low-income families in the dust.”

Thompson said the bill has been rushed to get it in place in time for the November election, and that there has had no bipartisan input. Nor has there been time to hear from outside experts.

“This is unacceptable. We should instead be working together on policy that will boost wages for everyone, build up our middle class, and help everyone get ahead,” he said.

Thompson said that HR 6760’s permanently capping of state and local tax deductions will make it harder for California and other local government states to pay for such services as health care, infrastructure, and law enforcement.

He blamed Republicans, saying they have added $2.3 trillion to the debt and warned members of that party would use that statistic “to chip away at Medicare and Social Security.”

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