H.R. 15: Middle Class Tax Cut Act

112th Congress · introduced 2012-07-30 · Taxation · Latest: Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mr. Walz (MN). Petition No: 112-6. (<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/112/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0006.xml">Discharge petition</a> text with signatures.)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-07-30 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Levin, Sander M. [D-MI-12] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mr. Walz (MN). Petition No: 112-6. (<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/112/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0006.xml">Discharge petition</a> text with signatures.) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Middle Class Tax Cut Act

Plain summary

Middle Class Tax Cut Act - Extends through 2013 for a taxpayer whose income is $200,000 or less ($250,000 for married couples filing a joint return): (1) the tax rate reductions and other tax benefits of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, and (2) the reduction in the tax rate for dividend and capital gain income enacted by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Increases income tax rates and phases-out personal exemptions and itemized deductions for certain high-income taxpayers. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2013: (1) the increased American Opportunity tax credit, (2) the increase in the refundable portion of the child tax credit, (3) the increased earned income tax credit percentage for three or more qualifying children, (4) the disregard of tax refunds in determining eligibility for federal and federally-assisted programs, and (5) the election to expense depreciable business assets. Extends for one year: (1) the increased exemption amount for the alternative minimum tax (AMT), and (2) the offset against the AMT of certain nonrefundable personal tax credits. Provides that the budgetary effects of this Act shall not be taken into account under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Middle Class Tax Cut Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Levin, Sander M. [D-MI-12] · 38 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Judy Chu (D-CA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Al Green (D-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Capital gains: The profit from selling something you own, such as stock or real estate, for more than you paid. A capital gains tax is a tax on that profit.
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr15.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr15 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112