WKSU Stories

Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan Sponsors Wage Boost Bill

Ideastream Public Media | By Brooke Forrest

Published September 13, 2017 at 7:59 PM EDT

Congressman Tim Ryan says he believes it would be impractical to try to abandon NAFTA altogether because of more than 20 years of blended economies. But he says a new deal with labor, consumer and environmental protections would serve Ohio better.

Democratic Ohio Congressmen Tim Ryan has announced he’s co-sponsoring of a bill that would give working families a wage boost.

The Grow American Incomes Now, or GAIN Act would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to allow more families to be eligible to receive its benefits. Ryan believes that this is an essential piece of tax reform that would help those who “want a hand up, not a hand out.”

“These are working class people and we want them to know, look, we see you, we hear you, we know how hard it is for you to make ends meet and the challenges that are facing middle class families with kids and we want to give them an opportunity to have a few more dollars in their pockets,” said Ryan.

The GAIN Act would almost double the current tax credit for working families and allow for more benefits for childless workers. Ryan believes he could find bi-partisan support and that it should help with income inequality issues across the nation.