Jack Bergman

Next week, as Congress prepares to welcome President Trump to deliver his State of the Union address, we know we have a lot of work left to do to deliver on our promises to the American people. However, it is important to celebrate our victories – victories that have begun to deliver real relief to Americans suffering under the strain of historic inflation.

Thanks to the Working Family Tax Cuts that we passed, Americans have already started seeing the effects. Just this week, the IRS announced that tax refunds are up 11% for the average family. That is not a talking point. That is a tangible difference in the lives of working people – families who have spent the last several years watching grocery bills climb, utility rates spike, and everyday essentials become harder to afford.

Republicans in the House championed the Working Family Tax Cuts alongside President Trump – and we delivered on our promises. As of this year, we cut taxes on tips, on overtime, and on Social Security. That means the waitress working double shifts keeps more of what she earns. The factory worker putting in extra hours to provide for his family sees more in his paycheck. The senior who worked a lifetime to build this country is no longer penalized for drawing the benefits they paid into.

Since the day I first ran for office, I have made it very clear that the federal government does not have a revenue problem – it has a spending problem. Washington’s answer to every challenge has been to tax more, regulate more, and spend more. The American people know better. They know that prosperity does not come from bureaucrats in D.C. It comes from hardworking citizens who are allowed to keep more of their own money and make their own decisions.

The Working Family Tax Cuts are rooted in a simple principle: if you work hard, you should be rewarded – not punished. For too long, the tax code treated overtime like a luxury instead of a necessity. For too long, seniors saw their Social Security benefits chipped away. For too long, tipped workers were taxed on income that is already unpredictable and often modest.

Are these reforms the final step? Of course not. Inflation remains too high. Energy costs are still burdening families, especially across our rural communities. Housing remains out of reach for too many young Americans. But cutting taxes for working families is a powerful first step toward restoring economic stability and growth.

As President Trump outlines the path forward, our focus remains clear: restore American energy dominance, rein in reckless spending, and continue putting American workers first. The State of the Union is not just a speech – it is a checkpoint. A moment to measure progress and recommit to the work ahead.

We promised to fight for the forgotten men and women of this country. We promised to put America First – and that’s exactly what we are doing.