WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod (D-OH) issued the following statement today after Republican Senators blocked tax cuts for the middle class:

“Middle class families in Ohio are struggling to get by. They need tax relief now. But today, Senate Republicans held them hostage so that millionaires and billionaires could get an even bigger share of the pie.

“Senate Republicans voted in lockstep against tax cuts for all Americans. They would prefer to blow a $700 billion hole in the budget to give extra tax cuts to the wealthiest two percent. At a time of record deficits, they propose borrowing another $700 billion from China and passing along the tab to our grandchildren.

“Senate Republicans say that the problem with Washington is that we don’t listen to the public. When it comes to tax cuts, what Americans want is clear: tax relief for middle class families, but no additional giveaways to millionaires and billionaires who are doing just fine.

“Giving irresponsible $100,000 tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires who don’t need it is bad economic policy and it is bad fiscal policy. It led to budget-busting deficits over the last decade with slow economic growth, and the vote today was more of the same.”

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