Rep. Sherrill Launches Effort to Pass SALT Cap Tax Relief

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Washington, DC – With 12 days left on the legislative calendar, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) launched a "12 Days of SALT" campaign on the House Floor to urge the House to lift the federal cap on state and local tax (SALT) deduction before the end of 2019.

"I rise today on behalf of the taxpayers of North Jersey," said Representative Sherrill. "There are 12 days left in the legislative calendar. I urge the House to close 2019 by lifting the cap on the state and local tax deduction. I will be here on the floor every day this holiday season, highlighting the impact of SALT on my constituents and on Americans across the country, for ‘12 Days of SALT.'"

Since 1913, taxpayers choosing to itemize could deduct state and local taxes from their federal returns. That changed in 2017, when the Tax Cut and Jobs Act imposed a $10,000 cap on the SALT deduction. This policy violates 150 years of precedent in federal tax law, disproportionately harms New Jersey, and unfairly imposes a marriage penalty on couples filing jointly.

Rep. Sherrill is the author of the bipartisan SALT Relief and Marriage Penalty Elimination Act, H.R. 2624. Introduced earlier this year, Representative Sherrill's bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Gil Cisneros (D-CA), and endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers and National Association of Realtors.

Click here to watch Representative Sherrill's floor speech.

Full text below:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the taxpayers of North Jersey. There are 12 days left in the legislative calendar. I urge the House to close 2019 by lifting the cap on the state and local tax deduction, or SALT. I will be here on the floor every day this holiday season, highlighting the impact of SALT on my constituents, and on Americans across the country, for 12 Days of SALT.

On this first day of SALT, my constituents have said to me that SALT is the number one concern they have.

I meet teachers, firefighters, homeowners, and small business owners who owed thousands more on their taxes this year as a result of the $10,000 deduction cap.

Capping SALT deductions is an attack on New Jersey residents, businesses, and homeowners -- and unfairly imposes a marriage penalty on couples filing jointly.

It is an attack on states that invest in their communities -- investments in roads, libraries, schools, first responders, and teachers.

I urge my colleagues to pass SALT legislation immediately, to stop double taxing hard working Americans.

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