Moderate Members of the House Clash with Johnson on SALT Deductions

A group of Republicans temporarily shut down business on the House floor Tuesday to send a warning to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., only this time the objectors didn’t come from the conservative wing.

Four New York Republicans voted with Democrats against procedural motions on unrelated bills in order to get their voices heard on tax legislation that did not include increases in state and local tax deductions (SALT), The Hill reported.

Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Garbarino, Nick LaLota, and Mike Lawler forced a confab with Johnson and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., for about 40 minutes, according to the report.

“We’ve agreed only to talk, to either explore one of two mechanisms — either to put it in the overall big tax bill, or to have a stand-alone thing that goes in parallel to that big tax bill,” LaLota said.

The swing-district Republicans are pushing for an increase to the SALT credit and their Tuesday maneuver came in the aftermath of a contentious call last week over the issue, according to The Hill.

Lawler told The Hill, “For all of us in these districts, you know, that delivered the majority, this is the issue that matters, and we’re gonna keep fighting to get it done.”

The New York four wanted to see SALT added to The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, a bipartisan bill authored by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

The bill, which would expand child tax credits, is taking flak from New York over the lack of SALT expansion and from conservatives for expanding child tax credits in the first place.

The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act is first and foremost a repudiation of the principles of successful, pro-family welfare reform,” The Heritage Foundation said in a statement earlier this week. “The bill’s cash welfare benefits are socially harmful and an obvious steppingstone to President Biden’s work-free “child allowance.” While offering no meaningful economic growth, this bill would further undermine marriage and healthy family formation.”