Last night, I offered an amendment in the House Appropriations Committee to prevent the government from imposing a new federal Value Added Tax (VAT) on the American people.

A VAT would be a national sales tax – hitting the middle class and lower income Americans the hardest.

My amendment wasn’t complicated – it was an up or down vote on a national sales tax.  Republicans voted to prevent a future VAT; Democrats voted to allow it.

Treasurer Giannoulias announced his support for raising the state income tax.  The governor’s budget director said state lawmakers would pass a 66 percent state income tax hike in January.  Mr. Giannoulias backed the health care bill with its 10 new federal taxes and said he would allow federal tax relief to expire.

I oppose raising income taxes in Springfield and would vote against a VAT in Washington.  We need to cut spending instead of raising taxes on middle class families.

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