WASHINGTON, 2017-Dec-04 — /EPR Retail News/ —The National Retail Federation welcomed Senate passage early today (December 2, 2017) of landmark tax reform legislation, saying congressional action on the pro-growth plan is helping boost consumer confidence and that savings from reform could be enough to pay for many families’ holiday shopping.
“This vote couldn’t come at a better time,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Holiday shopping was strong throughout the Thanksgiving weekend, and a good part of the reason was optimism about the work Congress is doing to pass tax reform. Consumers and voters are beginning to realize that tax reform will create jobs, leave more money in the pockets of middle-class Americans and give our nation’s economy the biggest boost it’s seen in decades. In fact, the savings is enough to give the average family a free Christmas. It’s time to get this legislation to President Trump so American consumers will know they can count on extra money in their paychecks come January.”
“We look forward to members of the House and Senate sitting down to reconcile the differences between their versions of the legislation so that a final bill can be signed into law as soon as possible,” Shay said. “There is far more that the two chambers agree on than they disagree on. And both clearly agree that the time for tax reform has come.”
According to the Senate Finance Committee, a typical family of four earning the average annual income of $73,000 would see its taxes cut by nearly $1,500 a year, or $125 a month, and some estimates are higher. The number is enough to completely cover the $967.13 NRF expects the average consumer to spend this year as part of up to $682 billion in holiday season sales.
An NRF survey found that 174 million American adults shopped from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, 10 million more than NRF had projected.
NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.
Contact:
J. Craig Shearman
(202) 626-8134
press@nrf.com
(855) NRF-Press
Source: NRF