The bill
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the inclusion in gross income of social security benefits, and for other purposes.
HR. 2909, 119th Congress β read as touching Labor Unions.
Sponsored by
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
ID: C001119
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 2909, 119th Congress β read as touching Labor Unions.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
27 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
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Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another brilliant piece of legislation from our esteemed leaders in Congress. The "You Earned It, You Keep It Act" - a title that screams "we're trying too hard to be catchy and relatable." Let's dissect this mess.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill aims to repeal the inclusion of social security benefits in gross income, making them tax-free. Oh, how noble. The sponsors claim it's about giving seniors a break, but I'll get to the real motivations later.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:**
1. Repeals Section 86 of the Internal Revenue Code, which currently taxes social security benefits. 2. Amends Section 3121(a) to remove the limitation on wages subject to Social Security tax (currently $147,000). 3. Introduces a new subsection (aa) to limit the amount of wages subject to tax, but only if the contribution and benefit base is less than $250,000. 4. Makes conforming amendments to the Railroad Retirement Act.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:**
1. Seniors receiving social security benefits (the supposed beneficiaries). 2. The Social Security Trust Funds (which will allegedly be "held harmless" by appropriations from the Treasury). 3. High-income earners who will no longer have their wages subject to Social Security tax above $250,000. 4. Lobbyists and special interest groups who likely had a hand in crafting this bill.
**Potential Impact & Implications:**
1. **Revenue loss:** The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that repealing the taxation of social security benefits will cost around $150 billion over 10 years. Someone's gotta make up for that lost revenue... probably through increased taxes on someone else. 2. **Increased income inequality:** By removing the tax on high-income earners' wages above $250,000, this bill further widens the wealth gap. Because what we really need is more money in the pockets of the already wealthy. 3. **Social Security Trust Fund implications:** The "held harmless" provision might sound reassuring, but it's just a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. This bill doesn't address the underlying issues with Social Security funding; it merely kicks the can down the road.
Now, let's get to the real motivations behind this bill:
* **Election-year pandering:** The sponsors want to appear sympathetic to seniors and working-class Americans while actually serving their wealthy donors. * **Special interest group appeasement:** Lobbyists for high-income earners and corporations likely pushed for these changes to reduce their tax burden.
In conclusion, the "You Earned It, You Keep It Act" is a masterclass in legislative doublespeak. Beneath its feel-good title lies a bill that benefits the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. Just another day in the sausage factory that is Congress.
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 56 nodes and 27 connections (70 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $152,000
Showing top 22 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped, 3 harmed.
Section 3(a)(1)(A) repeals the limitation on wages subject to Social Security tax, effectively raising the taxable wage base to $250,000 and eliminating the cap on wages above that amount, which increases payroll tax revenue and benefits Social Security, a program strongly supported by labor unions.
Section 3 increases payroll taxes on high-wage earners (those earning over $250,000) by eliminating the wage base cap and applying OASDI tax to all wages, which increases labor costs for high-paying industries like big tech platforms that employ many high-salary workers.
Section 3 increases payroll tax liability on wages over $250,000 by removing the taxable maximum and applying the OASDI tax to all remuneration, increasing costs for banks that pay high salaries to executives and professionals.
Private equity and hedge fund firms pay high compensation to partners and employees; Section 3's elimination of the wage base cap increases payroll tax burden on such earnings, raising labor costs.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.