WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, today voted in favor of the Senate’s Budget Resolution, a critical step to advancing tax reform. The legislation passed the Senate 51-49.

“Our tax code is burdensome, confusing and outdated,” Roberts said. “There is widespread, bipartisan agreement on the need for tax reform, and I’m pleased the Senate took this important step toward providing tax relief to hardworking Americans. I look forward to continuing our work in the Senate Finance Committee to write a tax bill that allows Kansans to keep more of their hard-earned dollars.”

House and Senate leadership introduced a framework last month outlining the following unified tax reform goals:

• tax relief for middle-class families;
• tax relief for businesses, especially small businesses;
• ending incentives to ship jobs, capital, and tax revenue overseas;
• broadening the tax base and providing greater fairness for all Americans by closing special interest tax breaks and loopholes.

“Too many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Tax reform will provide better jobs, at higher wages, and grow our economy. It will allow American companies to be more competitive and prevent jobs from going overseas. Farmers and ranchers will also benefit from reforms to expensing requirements and by elimination of the death tax. Americans need tax reform – not partisan obstruction.”

The House and Senate each needed to approve budget resolutions initiating the budget reconciliation process to allow the Senate to consider tax reform with a 51-vote threshold. The House passed their version of the budget on October 5.

The Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, which both have jurisdiction on taxes, will now begin writing and marking-up the actual tax reform language.

In June, Finance Committee Chairman Orin Hatch appointed Senator Roberts to lead the committee’s examination of agriculture tax issues.

To view a copy of the framework, go here.