Stutzman urges Obama and Reid to pass House legislation that would stop the "fiscal cliff"

Washington, DC (WANE) - U.S. Congressman Marlin Stutzman is urging President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to follow the House's lead in passing legislation that would avert the "fiscal cliff".

Stutzman said, "The House of Representatives has passed legislation to stop the 'fiscal cliff' and the largest tax increase in our nation's history."  Stutzman went on to say, "It's time for the Senate to take up these measures and the President to sign them into law."

There are two bills to which Stutzman is referring; H.R. 8, the Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act which would extend current tax rates for one year, and H.R. 6684, the Spending Reduction Act of 2012 which Stutzman says provides strategic, common-sense spending cuts and reduces the national deficit by nearly $200 billion more than the original defense sequester.  The U.S. House passed H.R. 8 on August 1, and H.R. 6684 on December 20.

Congressman Stutzman said, "Instead of allowing massive tax hikes on families and small businesses, we need to provide certainty by extending the current tax rates for all Americans and the House has done just that."

If an agreement is not reached, budget cuts and tax increases are set to begin in January.