North Jersey Delegation on House Passage of Build Back Better Act

The House of Representatives voted along party lines to pass the Build Back Better Act, passing the centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda by a 220-213 vote on Nov. 19. 

According to supporters, the House’s version maps $2.1 trillion in spending over the next decade to battle climate change, expand health care, make childcare more affordable, increase funding for colleges, savings for those on Medicare, and offering tax cuts to the middle class by removing the cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

The passage of the build comes four day after President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that had been held up as Democrats negotiated a deal for the Build Back Better Act. The spending bill now goes to the Senate for consideration and expected adjustments to concerns raised by Democratic Senators, most notably Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). 

Below is a roundup of North Jersey lawmakers after passage in the House:

Rep. Josh Gottheimer

“Today, the House passed legislation that will help finally restore the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT) and cut taxes for hard-working New Jersey families. Thanks to this bill, we scored a big round against the Moocher States and we will cut taxes for families across New Jersey’s Fifth District.

Months ago, I said “No SALT, No Dice.” Today, New Jersey’s middle class families won big!

A team of New Jersey accountants have been analyzing this legislation for months now, and their analysis is clear: Taxes will go down for Jersey families. When you count the IRS enforcement, in the way many recent Democratic and Republican Treasury Secretaries and IRS commissioners have, this bill will reduce the deficit.

In 2017, when the Red States and Moocher States gutted our SALT deduction by passing their Tax Hike Bill, we pledged to fight back, and now, the House has passed a bill to help us win this fight. 

If you’re against this bill, you’re against lowering taxes for New Jersey families. If you’re for this bill, you’re for making life more affordable for families in our District. 

If you’re for this bill, you’re also for helping address child hunger with expanded school breakfast and lunch. If you’re for this bill, you’re for combating climate change and for getting lead out of our children’s drinking water. If you’re for this bill, you’re for making child care more affordable for our families and for lowering prescription drug prices for our seniors.

This bill will not raise capital gains taxes, the corporate tax rate, or individual taxes for middle class New Jersey families. 

I’m honored to have played a critical part in delivering SALT relief for hard-working families, and in ensuring we pass a commonsense, targeted reconciliation package that’s good for New Jersey, our local communities, and our families.”

Rep. Mikie Sherrill

“The core issues of my work for the 11th Congressional District since my first day in office have been simple — addressing the SALT deduction cap, lowering prescription drug prices, and making New Jersey more affordable for families in our communities. On all of those points, I’m proud to say this legislation delivers. “Earlier this week we signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, which funds another one of those core priorities, the Gateway Tunnel. The legislation we passed today is another piece of the puzzle. Together, these packages will help grow our economy by putting money back in the pockets of families in our district and getting people back to work by addressing the childcare crisis. It will grow our clean energy economy, make our communities healthier, safer, and more affordable, and ensure that our nation maintains our competitive edge around the globe for decades to come. From Bloomfield and Woodland Park to Lake Hopatcong and Sparta, New Jerseyans across the district will finally get our hands on the benefits that our communities need and deserve.”

Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.

“Last November, the American people put Democrats in charge to raise this nation from its knees. We were elected to act with urgency for the present and the future. Today we are doing that and moving America forward into the 21st Century. Build Back Better will improve the lives of working men and women. This legislation will confront the powerful interests and rebuild this country inside and out. It will put us on the path to a planet-saving green economy. Our historic bill gives real, meaningful relief to middle-class Americans harmed by the GOP Scam SALT cap. In short: The Build Back Better Act is a blueprint for a modern America.

Our nation should note the final vote as the split demonstrates the difference between our political parties. Only one party is making raising children affordable. Only one party is creating a green future that aids unions and supports domestic manufacturing. Only one party will close the tax gap and provide tax fairness for working Americans. That party is the Democrats. The other party does not give a damn about regular Americans and they showed it with this vote.”

Rep. Donald Payne, Jr.

“This bill will provide much-needed resources and services to help American families. For the first time in American history, families will get universal pre-kindergarten to help children learn and develop as well as financial support for child care. As a diabetic, I am proud to see that insulin payments will be capped at $35 dollars per month and the bill reduces out-of-pocket costs for other life-saving medications. In addition, it provides funding to fight climate change and extreme weather events that could help our area avoid future damages from storms like Hurricane Sandy and Tropical Storm Ida. I applaud President Biden for his leadership to better the lives of millions of Americans through his Build Back Better agenda. This is a great bill for New Jersey and I am proud to help pass it.”

Rep. Tom Malinowski

“When I ran for office in 2018, I promised to restore the SALT deduction for my middle-class constituents. The Build Back Better Act, which we passed today, includes a deal I helped negotiate with the White House and Congressional Leadership that would fully restore the SALT deduction for over 96% of taxpayers for the next nine years.

Crucially, the House SALT provision pays for itself – so it does not increase the federal deficit, require us to raise other taxes, or take resources away from the investments in infrastructure, education, and clean energy we are also making today. It will also give homeowners and people thinking of buying a home the assurance they need that they will be able to deduct their property taxes for almost a decade. I am proud we’re delivering on our promise with this very simple approach that benefits virtually everyone in my district without costing a penny.

The details of how SALT is addressed in Build Back Better may evolve as the bill heads to the Senate, but I’m optimistic we’ll end up with a solution that preserves these principles – full deductibility for the overwhelming majority of New Jerseyans, stability over time, and fiscal responsibility. I will continue to work with key members of the Senate, including Senators Menendez and Sanders, to ensure that happens.

We could not have achieved this win without the leadership of the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation, including Representatives Pascrell, Gottheimer, and Sherrill. Together, we insisted ‘No SALT, no deal,’ and the House heeded our call. As a result, we are closer than ever to reversing the injustice of the 2017 GOP tax bill, which deliberately targeted middle-class homeowners to pay for its corporate tax cuts, and punished states like New Jersey where we have chosen to pay for good schools and services. Together, we are bringing tax fairness back to New Jersey.”