Majority Leader | Remark | Remarks | THE NEWSROOM | Repub...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMRemarks12.03.25Thune: Republicans Delivered Tax Relief for Working Families“[H]ardworking Americans can be assured that Republicans will continue to work to enhance affordability, expand opportunity, and increase prosperity.” Click here to watch the video.WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):“Mr. President, we are four weeks away from the new year – and from the date that the 2017 tax relief for Americans was set to expire.“Back in 2017, of course, Republicans passed a huge tax relief package.“We lowered tax rates for every income group.“We doubled the child tax credit.“And we nearly doubled the standard deduction.“But all of that was scheduled to expire at the end of this year.“And without action, Americans would have seen their tax rates increase and the child tax credit shrink by 50 percent.“A typical family would have seen its taxes go up by about $1,700 a year.“In my state of South Dakota, a typical family would have seen a $2,500 tax increase.“Republicans were determined not to let that happen.“And so a priority for 2025 became extending the 2017 tax relief.“But not just extending it – making it permanent.“We didn’t want hardworking Americans to have to worry every few years that their tax bills were suddenly going to soar.“And so in July we passed the Working Families Tax Cut to make permanent the 2017 tax relief.“We made those lower tax rates permanent.“We made the increased standard deduction permanent.“And we made the increased child tax credit permanent.“But, Mr. President, we didn’t stop there.“We expanded the child tax credit even further – and indexed it to inflation so that its value will never go down.“We also further increased the standard deduction, exempting additional money from Americans’ taxable income.“And we added a new $6,000 bonus deduction for seniors, allowing Americans on Social Security to keep more of their money.“And that’s still not all, Mr. President.“We eliminated taxes on tips for millions of tipped workers.“Uber and Lyft drivers. Hairstylists. Delivery drivers. Servers at restaurants.“We also eliminated taxes on overtime pay for millions of hourly workers.“Thanks to this provision, everyone from nurses and police officers to firefighters and paramedics will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money.“And we did still more. “Because one aspect of prosperity is being able to keep more of what you earn.“Another aspect is being able to earn more.“And so in addition to the individual tax relief, we also made permanent some of the 2017 tax law’s business tax relief, to help businesses grow and create new jobs and opportunities for workers.“That included the lower tax rates for small and medium-sized businesses.“The job-creating 199A small business deduction.“And full expensing for new equipment and for domestic research and development.“And again, we went beyond the 2017 tax relief and added full expensing for new factories and factory improvements – so we can expect to see more goods made in America, and, again, more jobs and opportunities for American workers. “We also acted to protect countless family farms, ranches, and small businesses from the punitive death tax – and all of the headaches and expense that come with planning for it.“Mr. President, I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish for hardworking Americans.“We not only averted a massive tax hike on American families, but were able to further lessen Americans’ tax burden.“And hardworking Americans can be assured that Republicans will continue to work to enhance affordability, expand opportunity, and increase prosperity.”PrintEmailTweetNextPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
