Broad coalition urges Congress not to renew expiring tax breaks

A coalition of seven political advocacy groups spanning the political spectrum on Friday called on congressional leaders to get rid of tax extenders, provisions that renew expiring tax breaks.

“Though our organizations span the political spectrum, we all agree that it is time to stop making tax policy one year at a time. Continuing to renew special-interest tax giveaways on a temporary and often retroactive basis is bad tax, fiscal, and economic policy,” the leaders of seven policy groups wrote in a letter to congressional leadership.

{mosads}The groups included the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity; the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; the liberal Economic Policy Institute; and the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Congress frequently extends temporary tax breaks at the end of the year. The letter referred to them as “special-interest tax giveaways” and decried the frequent use of retroactive breaks as “bad tax policy.”

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) had put together a $55 billion tax package for the lame-duck session that included a variety of tax extenders, alongside disaster relief and fixes to the 2017 GOP tax law.

It had been expected to receive a Friday vote, but was delayed over what was seen as lack of support. 

The bill faces slim chances of passage in the Senate, where it would require Democratic support.