May 22, 2025, Fairfax, Va.–Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement praising the House’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

“It was a bumpy road as usual but at the end of the day the House of Representatives came together and unified under House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that will extend and expand the 2017 Trump tax cuts, including no income tax on tips and overtime, provide tax relief for seniors who collect Social Security, allocates almost $47 billion for the border wall and bars 1.4 million illegal aliens from collecting Medicaid and other public benefits. It even includes the President’s proposal for 100 percent expensing for new factories that will incentivize companies to rapidly manufacture goods in America again. The faith the 77 million Americans who voted for President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate has been affirmed. Elections have consequences and one of them is that the majority has to keep its promises. Now, it’s promises made, promises kept.”

Attachments:

H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act at https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/rcp_119-3_final.pdf

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 16, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano urged President Donald Trump, House and Senate leaders to work through individual member concerns on the tax cut and border security budget bill so that it has the votes needed for passage:

“The first draft of the One, Big Beautiful Bill extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts, ends the income tax on tips and overtime and provides tax relief for seniors who are collecting Social Security. It secures the border by finishing the border wall. It ends Medicaid for illegal aliens and has other cost savings that are passed on to the American people. But not all members are happy and some want more spending cuts to reduce deficits, while others have disagreements over the state and local tax deduction and other provisions.

“At the end of the day, nothing will be perfect, and so Americans for Limited Government urges President Trump, House and Senate leaders to confer carefully with individual members to work through specific lingering concerns. If more spending cuts are needed to reduce deficits, then get more cuts. If more tax relief is needed, then provide more tax relief. Those are two things that the American people support. The less we spend, the less we should be taxed. Because the bill must be done under budget reconciliation, it cannot achieve every single goal, but by working deliberatively with members it will get across the finish line and only become an even Better, Big Beautiful Bill in the process.

“Politically, the consequences of not getting the legislation done would be Congressional Republicans despite winning the popular vote, the White House, the House and the Senate could not deliver on their promises to the American people, disenfranchising 77 million voters. Making matters worse, on Dec. 31, if nothing is done, taxes will automatically increase on most Americans. If the American people had wanted taxes to go up, they could have voted for Kamala Harris. They were promised if President Trump won and Republicans had elected majorities that would not happen. If that’s the record members want to run on in 2026, then do nothing. But if members want to run on tax cuts, border security and fiscal sanity, then come together, make the compromises that are necessary, be mindful that it will never be perfect — and then pass it!”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 12, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement urging passage of the House Ways and Means Committee’s proposal to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts and expand them to include no taxes on tips, overtime and the enhanced deduction for seniors:

“In 2024, the American people reelected President Donald Trump and gave Republicans majorities in the House and Senate in part to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime and seniors — and the GOP House Ways and Committee has listened and is delivering vital tax relief to Americans who work for a living, are getting their start and are enjoying their retirements. These proposals were instrumental in helping Trump to win the swing states of Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. These are promises made, promises kept, and will be game changers for the U.S. economy that has been weakened by inflation, too much spending and too many regulations. The One Big, Beautiful Bill will guarantee that even if the worst should come to pass with a slowdown or recession, the conditions for a robust recovery will already be in place. There are high expectations these tax cuts will pass and now it is time for Congress to get to work and put the American people first.”

Attachments:

The One Big, Beautiful Bill, Section By Section, May 12, 2025 at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Section-by-Section.pdf

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 12, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement congratulating President Donald Trump, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the Trump administration and the Chinese trade delegation on the successful negotiation of the new U.S.-China trade agreement:

“This is President Trump’s art of the deal. As the country with the $295 billion trade deficit, vis a vis China, the U.S. always had all the leverage in the negotiation over tariffs — if only there was a president with the strength to use it. By courageously raising tariffs as high as 145 percent, President Trump forced that negotiation to occur, showing leadership at a time others would have surrendered. As it turned out, China needed a deal more than the U.S. did. All the U.S. needed was patience.

“Originally, President Trump’s tariffs on China from the first administration that former President Joe Biden never rescinded were 25 percent on $250 billion of goods and another 7.5 percent on all the remaining $300 billion of goods. Upon assuming office on January 20, President Trump instituted an additional 10 percent tariff to encourage help on stopping the deadly fentanyl trade on February 1, which was raised to 20 percent on March 3. On April 2, the reciprocal tariff rate was then set to 34 percent. Afterward, China retaliated big time and so President Trump again raised the reciprocal tariff to 84 percent on April 8 and then to 125 percent on April 9.

“Combined with the fentanyl tariff, that brought the total tariff to 145 percent — and brought China to the table.

“Now, under the new trade agreement, the baseline reciprocal tariff has been lowered to 10 percent, the 20 percent fentanyl tariff is remaining in place and so are the 25 percent tariffs on $250 billion of goods and 7.5 percent on the remaining $300 billion of goods. They’re all being added together — and China agreed to this. The tariffs are therefore now still higher than they were prior to January 20. And if China does not honor the deal or if the negotiations go south, the tariffs can always go higher again.”

Correction: The combined tariff is close to 50 percent, not 30 percent.

Attachments:

“The Art Of The Deal,” By Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz, 1987, pp. 17: “The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it. That makes the other guy smell blood, and then you’re dead. The best thing you can do is deal from strength, and leverage is the biggest strength you can have. Leverage is having something the other guy wants. Or better yet, needs. Or best of all, simply can’t do without.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 5, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement urging Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nomination of Ed Martin to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia:

“As acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin is cleaning house and combating one of the most partisan, politically weaponized districts in the entire country that tried to prosecute President Donald Trump and abused its powers in targeting Jan. 6, 2021 protesters, by firing prosecutors involved with these politically charged cases and conducting much-needed internal reviews at the Justice Department. Draining the swamp and ending weaponization isn’t going to be easy, and President Trump needs tough as nails U.S. attorneys who are not afraid to take on the deep state and entrenched political establishment that has it in for the American people. Already on the job, Ed Martin has what it takes to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and help President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to restore the rule of law.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 2, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement on the latest jobs numbers, urging Congress to extend and expand the 2017 Trump tax cuts:

“The unemployment level inched up to 7.16 million in April, the highest it has been since October 2021, now up 1.4 million since its January 2023 low of 5.75 million. If you look closer at the non-rounded unemployment rate, it edged up ever so slightly from 4.15 percent to 4.18 percent, still near historic lows. And, the unemployed-to-job-openings ratio reached .984 in March — job openings data lags a month — its highest level since April 2021, a figure that usually rises after peak employment at the end of the economic cycle, and has been rising since 2022 along with unemployment. In the meantime, those saying they have jobs increased to 163.94 million, an all-time high. With inflation data continuing to cool and payroll employment slowing down too on its trend (which is usually does at the end of the cycle), the only question is whether the economy is in for a so-called ‘soft’ landing or a ‘hard’ one.

“Congress should not take any chances. It has before it a tax cuts bill that if everything the President has proposed is included, including no tax on tips, overtime and Social Security, along with factory expensing to incentivize businesses to make their products in America, will set up the economy for long-term growth if the worst should happen. If there is any good news about the labor shortages brought on by the Baby Boomer retirement wave, wherein almost 1 million of those 65 years old and older are leaving the labor force every year, it is that when we do get to the next recession, there will be fewer people to lay off and so hopefully unemployment does not go so high. It could just be that because of the retirements, we either skip the next recession or if we get one its shallow. Hope springs eternal. Either way, whatever is on the horizon has been years in the making following peak inflation in 2022, and so all Congress can do is set the U.S. up for future success as best as it can. It’s time to extend the tax cuts.”

Attachments:

“Go Big Or Go Home! Weekly Jobless Claims Reminder For Congress To Extend Tax Cuts Plus Factory Expensing And No Tax On Tips, Overtime And Social Security” By Robert Romano, May 1, 2025 at https://dailytorch.com/2025/05/go-big-or-go-home-weekly-jobless-claims-reminder-for-congress-to-extend-tax-cuts-plus-factory-expensing-and-no-tax-on-tips-overtime-and-social-security/

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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April 30, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement in response to the latest GDP numbers for the first quarter of 2025:

“The small decrease of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product by an annualized rate of 0.3 percent is largely unsurprising for two reasons. First, it came primarily on the heels of companies boosting inventories ahead of expected tariff increases earlier this month, which the Treasury Secretary had indicated yesterday. And the truth is, President Donald Trump inherited a weak economy from former President Joe Biden, that saw peak inflation at 9.1 percent in June 2022, and in increase of unemployment from 5.7 million in January 2023 to 7 million now, a 1.3 million increase, almost all of which occurred during Biden’s term. Which is what usually happens after peak inflation, given the historical inverse relationship between the two factors. Coupled with contracting consumer credit which predates Trump’s tenure in office, eventually something has to give economically. Every bout of peak inflation in the postwar era either coincided with or was followed by a recession, so if we get one (or if we had one that wasn’t already booked), that too would be unsurprising. The good news with any slowdown is prices and interest rates are coming down, bringing much needed relief to the American people, with further decreases expected as global growth and demand expectations cool.”

Attachments:
“As Producer And Consumer Prices Fall, Is Inflation Finally In The Rear-View Mirror?” By Robert Romano, April 11, 2025 at https://dailytorch.com/2025/04/as-producer-and-consumer-prices-fall-is-inflation-finally-in-the-rear-view-mirror/

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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April 29, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement in support of the House Oversight Committee’s reforms to the federal employee retirement system that will result in $50 billion of savings for American taxpayers:

“The House Oversight Committee is acting responsibly to find savings for American taxpayers in the 2026 budget, with $50 billion of proposed cuts. Since 1987, federal employees have been able to opt for early retirement via the federal employee retirement system, allowing them to collect an additional annuity for up to five years prior to qualifying for Social Security at the age of 62. Additionally, there is no reason federal employees hired before 2014 should pay less into the retirement plan than the 4.4 percent newer employees must pay. These are one of a kind benefits that most Americans in the private sector do not get to enjoy. It’s time that all federal workers pay their fair share and tighten their belts just like the rest of us.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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April 23, 2025, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement supporting careful consideration of proposals to boost birth rates provided they actually boost birth rates:

“Consumer prices are up 988 percent since Jan. 1960. Median income are up from $5,600 in 1960 to $80,610 in 2023, a 1,339 percent increase. So, over the past 65 years, income has increased more than prices by the measures we tend to rely on, but fertility is still way down to 1.61 births per woman in 2023, a record low. That’s because the cost of living is not the exclusive cause of low fertility.

“Instead, birth rates are down because of the approval of birth control by the FDA in 1960 and the expansion of higher education that incentivized young women to join the labor force and pursue degrees, careers and higher incomes. The average cost of a college degree is about $80,000 and the current scheme of financial aid and loan programs subsidize that. Clear majorities of men and women go to college, but maybe wouldn’t if there were no support programs, therefore the incentives have succeeded in changing behavior.

“So, if anything, a $5,000 ‘baby bonus’ now under consideration might not be large enough of an inducement to change women’s behavior. If put into place, ‘baby bonuses’ have to compete with college, career and lifetime earnings that women would get if they didn’t have children. If the baby bonuses can’t compete because Congress tries to boost fertility on the cheap, it could just wind up subsidizing the 3.5 million births that would have happened anyway, costing $18 billion without boosting birth rates.

“Again, if ‘baby bonuses’ are not big enough it will just be a subsidy for people who were already going to have kids without actually increasing the fertility rate. Young women can get tens of thousands of dollars in financial aid and loans to get a degree and career and a higher income. And a $5,000 one-time subsidy might not be enough to change the calculation. If the goal is to prevent population collapse and prevent financial ruin — the $36 trillion national debt would be much, much lower today if birth rates had remained at 3.6 per woman as they were in 1960 — there needs to a cultural shift in incentives that could be beyond what Congress is politically capable of achieving. Congress should carefully consider proposals to boost birth rates provided they actually boost birth rates.”

Attachments:

“President Trump Says It’s Time To Get Busy: ‘I’ll Be Known As The Fertilization President!’ But Will The Baby Bonuses Be Big Enough?” By Robert Romano, April 23, 2025 at https://dailytorch.com/2025/04/president-trump-says-its-time-to-get-busy-ill-be-known-as-the-fertilization-president-but-will-the-baby-bonuses-be-big-enough/

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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