HISTORIC TAX RELIEF FOR FAMILIES

On 2026-02-04, Representative Blake D. Moore (R-UT-1) delivered a floor speech titled "HISTORIC TAX RELIEF FOR FAMILIES" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered trade policy, agriculture.

HISTORIC TAX RELIEF FOR FAMILIES

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 25 (Wednesday, February 4, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 4, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2021-H2022] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HISTORIC TAX RELIEF FOR FAMILIES (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Moore of Utah was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.) General Leave Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah? There was no objection. Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I am so glad to be joined by my colleagues this evening to talk about the historic tax relief we are providing for working families this tax season. I think it should be on the mind of every single American, and we are thrilled to be able to highlight some of the many things that we have accomplished in the preceding calendar year. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri, (Mr. Smith) before I begin my remarks. Honoring Mark Roman Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore) for yielding and for being an incredible member of the best committee in Congress, the Ways and Means Committee. {time} 1750 Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my staff director, Mark Roman, who is leaving Federal service at the end of this week. For more than one decade, Mark has been one of the most capable and loyal public servants I have ever worked alongside. My team is stronger today because of his judgment and the example his work ethic sets for the rest of my team. He has not only been my most trusted adviser, but I am proud to also call him a true friend. Mark began working in the House of Representatives just over 20 years ago for his hometown Congresswoman, Ms. Nancy Johnson, from Connecticut. Mark went on to work for two congressional Members from Illinois before he joined my team in 2015 as my deputy chief of staff to serve the great people of Missouri's Eighth Congressional District. Mark's keen eye for tax policy in particular and, in fact, his keen eye for all policies within the Ways and Means jurisdiction made him so important to me when my colleagues selected me to serve as a member of the Ways and Means Committee. He went on to become my chief of staff and my staff director when I was the Republican leader of the Budget Committee, and my staff director for the Ways and Means Committee for the last 3 years. Mark's deep understanding of and relationships within the conservative and the populist movements have been invaluable as we worked to build the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. I am told that most Ways and Means Committee staff directors often have their legacies defined by their one signature accomplishment, and I think it says so much about Mark that his signature accomplishment will be the largest tax cut in our Nation's history and a bill remembered for rejecting special interest tax policy in favor of relief for the tens of millions of working American families, farmers, and many small businesses that are the heartbeat of this Nation. I know that Mark's wife, Tate, and his two wonderful children, Johnny and Ann Tate, have made a lot of sacrifices along the way to allow him to serve for so long, and I will say I am blessed to call them family as well. Mark is not going far, and even though he won't be here in the Capitol with us, I have no doubt he will continue to leave a lasting impact on all of us after he leaves. His incredible tenure of service has strengthened my team and this institution for the better. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. Mark Roman for his dedication and years of public service to this institution. Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I will briefly add that I had the opportunity to serve on Chairman Smith's Ways and Means Committee, and I have seen the work that Mark Roman did, mostly behind the scenes, the stress that he is put under, and the outcomes that we have delivered. Oftentimes, we don't talk about this being a functional place. Sometimes when you go to Congress, Mr. Speaker, all you hear about is the gridlock, the nonsense, and all the rhetoric. Mark Roman accomplished some things for the American people that he will never get credit for. I am going to speak a little bit about it today, but I also wanted to add how much I appreciated getting a chance to work under Mark. I wish his amazing kids and family all the best. We hope that he really, truly won't go far. Historic Tax Relief for Families Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, I want to share a brief message about what we have accomplished this last year. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have turned a season of dread as tax season approaches into a season of historic relief. Tax season is officially underway, and this year, 91 percent of all taxpayers will experience an easier and more simplified filing process. We locked in the doubled standard deduction, and not only at the rate that Republicans established in 2017. We actually boosted it for this new approach. It is now considered permanent policy, meaning that families will pay no taxes on the first $31,500 of what they make. It will also save Americans an estimated 210 million hours per year in paperwork and $13 billion in compliance costs annually. We talk all the time about simplifying the tax code. Everybody talks about it, and we have done it. Since 2017, we decided to double the standard deduction. That immediately targets middle- and lower-income Americans who choose not to itemize. Itemizing is still an option you can do, Mr. Speaker, if you have multiple different types of elements that you can deduct from your taxes. You can still choose to do that, but the vast majority of Americans, working Americans and everyday Americans, use the doubled standard deduction. That is real tax relief. It goes unsaid a lot. It is such a standard piece. Nobody truly disagrees with it--``nobody'' meaning both parties. It is something that we have now established as the norm, and it will give immediate relief to the vast majority of American families. Because the historic tax cuts are retroactive to 2025, the average refund is projected to increase by $1,000, with a total of $91 billion in additional refunds being returned to the American people this spring. We also repealed the Democrats' $600 reporting requirements for payments through PayPal or Venmo [[Page H2022]] and requirements for paperwork reporting of small payments to casual sellers and service providers. This, again, is an effort to simplify the tax code and make it work for American families so they will be able to have more of what they earned. I will get to more of that. Filing taxes is a pain point--we all know that--for most people because of both the amount and the process. We have simplified it to improve the experience for filers and increase accountability for lawmakers deciding where those funds are allocated. Working families were our top priority in these tax cuts. We wanted to help them achieve the American Dream, make life more affordable, and make filing taxes less of a burden. This year, Utah families will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money through the increased standard deduction and face less burdensome paperwork. It is very simple. Republicans have created a tax code that simply works for American families. This is something that doesn't work against them, as so oftentimes things from Washington, D.C., do. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a part of delivering this win for Utahns, and I yield back the balance of my time. ____________________