A Fox News reporter questioned Republican Rep. Mike Lawler (NY) about the positives he sees in the 2026 budget bill that will sunset after a few years.
He touted the "child tax credit, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime." However, the Fox reporter cut him off, asking, "Those will expire in 2028, correct? Those provisions —"
"Within the tax code, but that's normal," Lawler interjected.
While other tax cuts sunset, the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires at the highest income bracket were made permanent.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) bashed Lawler for the comments.
"It’s not normal," she wrote on X. "Lawler voted to make the tax breaks on billionaires PERMANENT while making the no tax on tips (just for those making less than $25k) EXPIRE in just 3 years. He’s also kicking tipped employees off Medicaid, ACA, and clawing back their SNAP."
Mia Ehrenberg, the communications director for Tax War Room, explained, "The tax cuts for billionaires and corporations are permanent. The tax breaks Lawler describes expire. Meanwhile, the bill raises costs on poor and middle-class families. Republicans just showed the world whose side they're really on."
Nonprofit communications staffer Christian Barbato commented, "Can’t wait to vote out Lawler and every Republican who voted for this awful bill. And I hope they all rot in hell."
"The most cynical, nihilistic legislative process in recent history has ended, and the march to 2028 has begun. Vance (or whoever Trump picks) will run on Dems 'raising taxes on tips and overtime,' and a Democrat will run on stopping the Medicaid cuts ASAP. Here we go," said Mike Rothschild, a conspiracy theory expert and reporter.
Global political consultant Eric Koch warned, "Lawler is cooked."
Politics reporter at Business Insider, Bryan Metzger, pointed out that Lawler was standing "front and center at House press conference" after the bill passed.
Political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen pointed out on Bluesky, "32,216 of his constituents would lose access to their healthcare. 18,264 of his constituents could lose access to their food assistance."
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) also referred to Lawler's vote, along with other New York Republicans, who will have thousands in their district lose Medicaid.
One New York chef said that while running "errands in Rockland County," he noticed "people are furious at you for lying through your teeth."
