Republicans question Pelosi's tax cut comment

House Republicans on Thursday questioned a comment by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that Congress had cut taxes by more than $800 billion. They argue the Speaker's calculation masks spending outlays as tax breaks and point to subsidizes in the new healthcare as an example. 

"Spending money in [health care] exchanges on subsidizing health insurance by sending money to health insurance companies is not cutting taxes, it's spending," said Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the Budget Committee's ranking member. "So if you can redefine what a tax cut is by calling spending a tax cut than I guess you can all these things tax cuts." 

Pelosi said the current Congress had cut taxes by more than $800 billion and will add another $285 billion in relief after lawmakers extend expiring tax provisions and make permanent the 2009 estate tax policy. She credits the stimulus bill's Making Work Pay tax credit with providing much of the relief already received by the middle class. 

"This Congress has cut taxes by more than $800 billion to put money in the pockets of working Americans," she said, adding, "More than one-third of the Recovery Act is tax relief for the middle class, including the Making Work Pay credit -- one of the fastest, most widely-shared tax cuts in history."

Ryan argues that since the credit is refundable, which makes it available to non-taxpayers, it is spending, not tax relief. 

"We record these things as outlays [spending] in the federal government -- in the budget," Ryan said. "They're calling them tax cuts."

Ways and Means ranking Republican Dave Camp (Mich.) said calculations by his office show Democrats have increased taxes by $670 billion since President Obama took office.