Democrat leader in Congress says extension “in the mix”

MORRISVILLE, Pa– Today, while campaigning in Morrisville, Mike Fitzpatrick called on Congressman Patrick Murphy to join him in calling for a permanent extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year.  Fitzpatrick has long championed such an extension in order to provide economic growth and stability.

Last month, Congressman Murphy wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking for an extension of selected, but not all, tax cuts set to expire on December 31st.   While Murphy’s letter was long on platitudes, it was short on specifics regarding what specific breaks he supports extending and just how long that extension should last.

“What Congressman Murphy fails to understand,” said Fitzpatrick, ” is that the middle of a recession is not the time to raise anyone’s taxes.  If Congress fails to act, we are four months away from the biggest tax increase in American history.  Congressman Murphy has already raised taxes and given us historic unemployment on his watch, the citizens of the Eighth District  don’t need a historic tax hike too.”

The importance of extending all the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts was demonstrated yesterday when Congressman Chris VanHollen (D-Md.), a member of the House Democrat leadership, said that consideration of at least a temporary extension of all the tax cuts currently set to expire was “in the mix” as a way to spur economic recovery.

“All summer long I’ve been asking Congressman Murphy to join me in a series of town hall meetings to talk about the economy,” said Fitzpatrick, “but Congressman Murphy has been more interested in talking to Nancy Pelosi than hearing from the residents of the Eighth Congressional District.  I hope that given Congressman VanHollen’s remarks, Patrick Murphy will join me in supporting a permanent extension of all the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.  And whenever and wherever Patrick Murphy wants to have a discussion about jobs and the economy I’ll be glad to join him.”