Rep. Hartzler explains House GOP tax bill to Columbia Chamber of Commerce

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler spoke with the Columbia Chamber of Commerce just one day after the U.S. House of Representatives approved a tax bill.

The bill, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, would nearly double the standard deduction, increase the child tax credit by $600 and reduce the corporate and small business tax rates.

A total of 13 republicans voted against the bill.

The bill eliminates specific special-interest deductions like student loan interest.

Hartzler said that even though the bill would eliminate small deductions, because it almost doubles the standard deduction, taxpayers would still come out ahead.

The Senate is currently working on its own tax bill. One of the differences between the two chambers’ bills deals with health care.

The House bill does not mention the American Care Act or the mandate in it requiring people to buy health insurance or be fined. The Senate’s version repeals the individual mandate.

Hartzler said if the Senate sent back a bill with a repeal of the individual mandate, she would vote for it, saying, “It is important that Americans have tax relief and not be forced by their government to buy a product and then fine them if they don’t, and that’s the current system.”