Cato Institute Director of Tax Policy Studies Adam Michel is available for interviews in light of the House Ways and Means Committee releasing its first full draft of the new tax package.

Michel issued the following statement in reaction:

The House Ways and Means Committee has released its first full draft of the new tax package. While the bill is likely to change as it moves through Congress, this opening bid falls short of delivering serious, pro-growth tax reform.

Instead of making the most important business investment provisions permanent, the bill offers only temporary extensions and expansions for immediate investment deductions. Meanwhile, the list of subsidies continues to grow: on top of higher SALT deduction caps and Trump’s campaign pledges to exempt tips and overtime, the bill includes new or expanded tax breaks for the elderly, childcare, family leave, low-income housing, student loans, seafood processing, and more.

There’s some modest progress: many of the most egregious green energy subsidies are rolled back, and new safeguards are added to some individual credits. And, at least for now, the worst proposed tax hikes have been avoided.

Michel has a Substack post on the tax package draft, which you can read here. If you would like to speak with Michel, please contact pr@​cato.​org to set up an interview.