CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN CALLS ON TRUMP TO KEEP CAMPAIGN PROMISE, IMMEDIATELY BEGIN WORK TO PASS SALT DEDUCTIBILITY ACT ON FIRST DAY OF NEXT CONGRESS

Congressman Pat Ryan Calls on Trump to Keep Campaign Promise, Immediately Begin Work to Pass SALT Deductibility Act on First Day of Next Congress

In letter to Trump and his Transition co-chairs, Ryan pledges to work across party lines to get SALT Deductibility Act, which Ryan is an original cosponsor of, over the finish line

Ryan: “I’m taking Trump at his word that he wants to permanently lift the cap, so let’s get to work now so this is ready to pass on day one”

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Today, in a letter to President-Elect Donald Trump and his Transition co-chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, Congressman Pat Ryan called on Trump to keep his campaign promise to permanently lift the SALT cap and to immediately start conversations with both Democrats and Republicans in Congress so the SALT Deductibility Act, a stand-alone bill to end this blatant double-taxation, is ready to pass on day one of the 119th Congress. In the letter, Ryan pledged to work in good-faith across party lines with any Republican willing to put combating the affordability crisis over partisan infighting. While Trump’s 2017 tax bill put the SALT cap in place, the former and future President promised on the campaign trail to “get SALT back.” Ryan’s letter was also signed by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). 

“Making life more affordable for my constituents is my top priority. And while I don’t agree with President-elect Trump on much, I’ll work with anyone to lower the cost of living and deliver economic relief for Hudson Valley families, ” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “The SALT cap is blatant double-taxation on the teachers, firefighters, police officers, and so many others getting crushed by the affordability crisis. I’m taking Trump at his word that he wants to permanently lift the cap, and am calling on him to immediately start working in good-faith with both Democrats and Republicans so the SALT Deductibility Act is ready to pass on the first day of the 119th Congress.”

“The Red Moocher States SALT cap has whacked millions of middle-class hardworking Jersey families — from teachers to cops, firefighters, electricians, you name it — with higher taxes. We have to bring the full SALT shaker back – and give families a tax cut,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer, co-chair of the bipartisan SALT Caucus. “I’m proud to be working with my colleagues from across the aisle and the Hudson, like Congressman Ryan, to do just that.”

President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limited the SALT deduction to $10,000 per household. Not a single Democrat in the House voted for the bill. On the campaign trail, President Trump has now pledged to “get SALT back.”

Since his time serving as Ulster County Executive, Ryan has fought to eliminate the SALT cap and restore the SALT deduction. In February 2023, Congressman Ryan joined with colleagues to establish the bipartisan Congressional SALT Caucus for the 118th Congress. The Caucus is on the forefront of efforts to restore the SALT Tax deduction to provide significant relief for Hudson Valley families from unfair double taxation. Ryan cosponsors the SALT Deductibility Act and has repeatedly made it clear that he is a staunch champion for eliminating the SALT cap.

Congressman Ryan has fought to deliver tax relief for Hudson Valley families, including voting for the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act that included an Expanded Child Tax Credit that will uplift 40,000 kids in NY-18 alone and an Enhanced Low-Income Housing Tax Credit will develop more than 200,000 affordable housing units.

Ryan also introduced the Working Families Housing Tax Credit Act as part of his four-bill Housing Agenda to lower housing costs for Hudson Valley families. 

A copy of Ryan’s letter to President-Elect Trump and Transition Co-Chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick appears below:

Dear President-elect Trump,

We write to express our sincere interest in working together to deliver for the American people by repealing the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap once and for all. As Members of Congress, we are committed to the financial well-being of our hard working constituents and all Americans, which is why we are reaching out today to urge you to fulfill one of your key campaign promises — the repeal of the SALT deduction cap. While we disagree on many of the issues facing our great nation, we are eager to capitalize on this stated common ground and swiftly overturn this double taxation. 

As you are aware, the SALT deduction cap, implemented through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, has disproportionately impacted working families in states like New York and New Jersey where residents are already shouldering a significant tax burden and dealing with an affordability crisis. By capping the SALT deduction, many taxpayers are effectively subjected to double taxation, adding to their financial stress. We were encouraged to see that during your campaign, you came to the conclusion that this policy needs to be reversed.

As such, we urge you to ensure passage of H.R. 2555, the SALT Deductibility Act, of which we are both original cosponsors, as a standalone bill on the first day of your presidency. This bill would fully repeal the SALT deduction cap, ensuring that taxpayers can once again deduct their state and local taxes without arbitrary limitations. Passing this legislation would not only relieve an undue financial burden on families but also restore a long-standing tax provision that incentivizes homeownership and investment in local communities.

Supporting the SALT Deductibility Act is a concrete step toward achieving meaningful tax relief and fostering economic growth. We look forward to working with you and your Administration to ensure that we fulfill this commitment to our constituents, and we expect your support in this effort.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. We are confident that, together, we can take swift action to repeal the SALT deduction cap and deliver relief to millions of Americans.

Sincerely,

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