Rep. Graves Updates: Votes on Small Business, Keystone Bills

From the Office of U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, who represents Paulding County

• Small Business Tax Relief Act

Washington, D.C. (Feb. 13) – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) issued the following statement after voting in favor of America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act (H.R. 636), legislation that would make current small business expensing levels permanent:

“This legislation could provide the extra certainty needed for small business owners to hire another employee, expand their company’s operations or make a long-term investment. It will also provide job security for small business employees and their families by ensuring the cost of business does not skyrocket after the current expensing levels expire, potentially putting jobs at risk. I’m proud to vote for this common-sense bill, and I hope the Senate and president will partner with the House in making it law.”
H.R. 636 makes the current expensing levels for small businesses in Section 179 of the tax code permanent.

• Keystone XL Approval Bill

Washington, D.C. (Feb. 11) – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the Keystone XL Approval Act (S. 1), Senate-passed legislation that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline:

“This common-sense jobs bill has bipartisan support from across the political spectrum. In the Senate, it was passed with the support of nine Democrats, and today it passed the House with the support of 29 of my Democrat colleagues. It’s been subject to five safety and environmental reviews by the president’s own State Department, and is even supported by labor unions. Yet, the president still threatens to veto this jobs bill. As I’ve said before, I truly hope that, once a bill is sitting on his desk, the president will not turn his back on all of the Americans who would have the opportunity to work as a result of this pipeline.”

Although the House first passed legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline this Congress on January 9, 2015, the Senate bill contained minor differences, which prompted the House to take up the Senate bill. The House passed S. 1 today by a bipartisan vote of 270 to 152. S. 1 passed the Senate on January 29, 2015 by a bipartisan vote of 62-36.

According to the State Department, the Keystone XL pipeline would create approximately 42,100 jobs and roughly $2 billion in earnings throughout the country.