After Congress passed the landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017, American businesses got to work. Literally.
They hired, boosted wages, expanded operations, innovated, and invested. They grew the economy, improved living standards, and strengthened communities across America.
Today, Congress can keep that momentum going by preventing the largest automatic tax increase in American history, which will occur at the end of 2025 when many of the provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expire.
Businesses, lawmakers, and tax experts are talking about how pro-growth TCJA provisions have benefited communities across America.
Businesses Share Their Stories
“The 20% tax code was absolutely essential for us to be able to institute a 401K program, including matching for employees. The 20% pass-through basically levels the playing field for us and allows us to be able to find those great employees to help build our business.”
— Brendan McCluskey, principal, Trident Builders, Baltimore
“Last year, my business benefited about $25,000 in the 20% pass-through tax credit or QBI, the qualified business income tax credit. I had the money to convert a part-time employee to full-time, making that employee eligible for our 401K and other benefits. That number is the exact difference in the part-time salary and the full-time salary for that position. So that tax benefit alone last year allowed us to employ someone full time.”
— Jon Briccetti, CEO, Troy Web Consulting, Troy, New York
“[With a competitive tax code] I've been able to put more money into our local healthcare organization. We have a foundation that we support in a Cancer Center. We've been able to be more competitive on wages, improve our technology, and I've been able to buy a truck for my business in our area. We've been able to invest in those kinds of things and help our people with better contributions to their retirement plans.”
— Karen Olson Beenken, president and CEO, The Blue Rock Companies, Sidney, Montana
Voices for Growth
How has tax reform helped your business?
“It is personal, and people don't always understand that. Small businesses are focused on impact—we focus more on who we can help and who we can give raises to, who we can give bonuses to, who we can raise their commissions to...But that 20% deduction is going to make a big, big difference to small businesses and it trickles down into everyday life.”
— Renee VanHeel, founder and president, Pay It Forward Processing, Cape Creek, Arizona
“The 2017 tax reforms allowed us to reinvest more aggressively into our operations. This meant we could upgrade equipment faster, expand our footprint, and—most importantly—hire and train more people. We didn't just grow revenue; we grew jobs and created upward mobility in a niche industry.”
— Victoria Thomas, owner and CFO, Kellymoss, Fitchburg, Wisconsin
“As a small business owner, every dollar counts when it comes to reinvesting in our growth and our people. Thanks to the 20% pass-through tax deduction from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we were able to take a major step forward for our team—establishing 401(k) and profit-sharing plans for the first time in our company’s history.”
— Christopher Barber, owner, Cheaper than a Geek, Crofton, Maryland
Growing America's Future
“We currently employ twenty-five employees, about seventy-five [subcontractors] every day, and that’s all because the [2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act] allowed us to reinvest in our people.”
— Brady Clements, owner, SPG Roofing & Exteriors, Whiteland, Indiana
“The 20% rate on taxes attracted us to do as much as we can here in the [United States] ... That catalyst for us to come back here enabled us to add ten jobs, and continue to run operations as a company and be successful from here in Gettysburg and outside the continental U.S.”
— John Boyer, CEO, KVG, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Local Communities Must Not Be Left Behind
When Main Street businesses have a competitive tax code, local economies grow and prosper, and workers across the country benefit from higher paychecks and more job opportunities.
“If the competitive tax provisions of 2017 are allowed to expire this year, the largest federal tax hike in American history will be very real and personal for people and local communities. Higher taxes decrease spending power, depress wages, [and] discourage investment in job-creating projects,” said Suzanne P. Clark, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during her annual State of American Business address.
State of American Business 2025: All Business is Local
Our Work on Taxes
We have been rolling out a comprehensive education and advocacy campaign to maintain a pro-growth tax code that fosters a robust economy that benefits all Americans. Catch up with what we’ve been doing below:
