The Senate healthcare bill contains at least six tax increases on Americans making less than $250,000 per year, putting the bill in direct violation of President Obama’s “firm pledge” not to raise “any form” of taxes on these families. 

As the Senate approaches a vote today on an amendment offered by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) to send the healthcare bill to the Finance Committee to strip out these tax hikes, Americans for Tax Reform reminds Senators of Obama’s repeated promise:

Sept. 12, 2008: Candidate Obama said the following:
 
“I can make a firm pledge.  Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase.  Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.” (Dover, NH) [Transcript] [Video clip]
 
Oct. 3, 2008: Vice-Presidential candidate Joe Biden said the following:
 
"No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama’s plan will see one single penny of their tax raised,"  Biden said, "whether it’s their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax."
 
Feb. 4, 2009:  Speaking before a joint session of Congress, Obama said:
 
“If your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime.  I repeat: not one single dime.” [Transcript]
 
April 15, 2009: When asked if Obama’s tax pledge applies “to the health care bill”, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs replied:
 
“The statement didn’t come with caveats.”  (White House Briefing) [Transcript]
 
August 3, 2009: Gibbs reiterates Obama’s tax pledge:
 
“I am reiterating the President’s clear commitment in the clearest terms possible, that he’s not raising taxes on those who make less than $250,000 a year.”[ Transcript]
 
December 15, 2009:   Obama’s promise remains for all to see at the Change.gov website
 
no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase.” 

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