Republicans celebrated their first legislative win of the year Wednesday, after both houses of Congress passed a sweeping tax reform package.
But one Democratic congresswoman told Cheddar there’s still hope for constituents who remain opposed to the bill.
“Stay mobilized, let your voice be heard,” Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) said Wednesday morning, after the Senate voted, but before the House reconvened. “Nothing is permanent but death and taxes, and we can do something about these taxes and we can do something about the makeup of this Congress.”
The president and his party leaders gathered Wednesday afternoon to praise the benefits of the tax system overhaul, which drops the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent, nearly doubles the standard deduction for individuals, and lowers the tax rate for most income brackets.
While the GOP says the long-overdue changes will provide a boost to the economy, Democrats dispute that claim and say the bill will largely benefit the wealthiest Americans and balloon the deficit.
The bill does appear to be broadly unpopular. A recent CNN poll found that 55 percent of respondents opposed the legislation, a 10 percentage point increase since last month. Still, it passed the House by a vote of 224-201 Wednesday afternoon, with only 12 Republican naysayers.
Republicans also took to Twitter to cheer the victory. President Donald Trump posted a gif that read “Tax Cut for Christmas”.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-bonnie-watson-coleman-d-nj-says-voters-can-change-the-makeup-of-congress-in-2018).
The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, the first woman in American history so honored at the domed building.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
Dr. Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson, joined Cheddar to discuss phase three COVID-19 vaccine trials. More than 60,000 people worldwide have volunteered to be part of the study.
A closer look at some key areas where Ginsburg was most influential reveals a jurist who defied easy ideological categories, especially when it came to business.
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Ohio Rep. Bob Latta joined Cheddar to discuss new safety legislation he's introduced for autonomous vehicles. The Self-Drive Act will create a national standard for operation of self-driving cars.
Democrats are going back to the drawing board on a huge virus relief bill. House Democrats say they are paring back their proposal in an attempt to jump-start negotiations with the Trump administration.
Dr. Jo Jorgensen, the 2020 Libertarian candidate for President, joined Cheddar to discuss her role in this year's election and whether third party candidates dictate the outcome. Jorgensen also provides her position on mask wearing when it comes to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
As undocumented immigrants navigate life in America, we're hearing a firsthand account of what it's like seeking higher education while being undocumented. Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, founder and CEO of DREAMers Roadmap, joined Cheddar to discuss how to app helps other undocumented immigrants find funds to pay for school.
California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and trucks in 15 years.
