Rep. Hank Johnson’s statement on the Fiscal Cliff vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democrat Hank Johnson (GA-04) released the following statement this evening after voting on H.R. 8 – the American Taxpayer Relief Act – to avoid the fiscal cliff. The House voted Tuesday night 257 to 167 to pass the legislation:

“I voted to pass the American Taxpayer Relief Act because avoiding the fiscal cliff removes a massive barrier to continued growth of the American economy. The bill protects the middle class – providing permanent tax relief, while restoring equity in the tax code by requiring that the wealthy pay their fair share. The bill extends unemployment benefits for two million Americans. It extends the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit and the college tax credit for five years, while including a one-year patch on Medicare reimbursements to doctors along with a permanent fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax. The bill also protects families from a spike in milk prices by extending the pertinent provisions of the Farm Bill for nine months.

The American people have been yearning to see an end to congressional gridlock, and I think Congress has taken a step in that direction.”

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