CHARLESTON – President Donald Trump visited West Virginia today to discuss tax cuts at a roundtable discussion in White Sulphur Springs.
This visit was the fourth visit Trump has made to West Virginia since he took office last January.
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins were invited to join the discussion.
Morrisey said it was “tremendous” to sit with Trump and discuss the impact that deregulation will have on West Virginia and its economy.
“As the state’s attorney general, I have taken a laser focus to end regulatory overreach that violates the rule of law and hurts the nation, including those who reside in West Virginia,” Morrisey said in a press release. “President Trump’s ‘one-in, two-out’ executive order has been effective in shrinking the administrative state to its proper size. Our office co-led a brief with 14 states strongly supporting the president’s position and throwing out the legal challenge to that executive order.”
Morrisey said it was a privilege to work closely with the president and his administration in repealing his predecessor’s anti-coal agenda.
“One of the victories our office secured was a historic and unprecedented victory at the Supreme Court, which built a bridge to a new administration that worked with us to repeal the so-called Clean Power Plan,” Morrisey said. “I was proud to witness President Trump sign the executive order doing away with the Power Plan last year.”
Morrisey said the deregulation, particularly the repeal of the Power Plan, will boost West Virginia’s coal production and create more jobs.
“Coal powers not only our state; it fuels a nation,” Morrisey said.
Morrisey said the president’s initiative to fight opioid abuse is also near and dear to West Virginia.
“This is an issue we are facing, and our office is tackling it head-on from a supply, demand and educational perspective,” Morrisey said. “The president's call to reduce demand and over-prescription reinforces our efforts to raise public awareness and educate every age group as to the dangers of opioid painkillers. Our push to reform the DEA’s broken drug quota system was recognized by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who directed the agency to review its policies.”
Morrisey said his office also stands with the president on illegal immigration, something his administration is adamantly enforcing.
“Our office has been involved in multistate efforts to end sanctuary cities, which defy the rule of law,” Morrisey said. “I am confident that the discussion today will invigorate West Virginia, particularly the state’s job creation and economy as a whole.”
West Virginia Republican Party Chairwoman Melody Potter also joined Trump today for the discussion.
The discussion was to highlight the benefits of the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which provides tax cuts for working West Virginia families.
"We welcome President Trump to the Mountain State,” Potter said. “I believe it is important for the president to speak directly to West Virginia voters about these tax cuts that let them keep more of their hard earned money. President Trump campaigned on lowering taxes, creating jobs, restoring growth and prosperity, and putting America first. He is keeping those promises.
Potter pointed out that Sen. Joe Manchin voted no for the tax cuts bill.
“When it came time to vote for lower taxes for West Virginians, Senator Joe Manchin voted no,” Potter said. “Liberal Democrats like Joe Manchin opposed these tax cuts for working West Virginians. He stands with liberals like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, who called these tax cuts unpatriotic, called them crumbs and said they would hurt the middle class. Time and time again, Joe Manchin has proven he takes his marching orders from liberal Democrats, and West Virginians are tired of it."
Approximately 90 percent of Americans will see an increase in their take-home pay as a result of the lower tax rates due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Middle class West Virginia families will get a tax cut of $487.89, according to the Tax Foundation.
A WVGOP press release stated that over 4.2 million Americans have benefitted from bonuses, wages and more money in their 401(k)s as a result of Trump and Congressional Republicans’ leadership on tax reform.
"We thank President Trump for visiting West Virginia today, and hope to see him a lot this year,” Potter said. “We are proud of the work President Trump is doing to get our economy going and put our coal miners back to work. Republicans are lowering taxes, create well-paying jobs and growing our economy.”
Jenkins said Trump was keeping his promises to West Virginians.
“He promised to end the war on coal, and we’re seeing miners go back to work,” Jenkins said. “He promised to cut taxes, and families are now seeing more money in their paychecks. He promised to make America great again, and West Virginia’s economy is growing again after years of high unemployment and weak growth.”
Jenkins said West Virginians know that Trump’s policies are working.
“As a member of Congress, I’m proud to support our president’s proposals and help pass critical legislation to cut taxes, create jobs, and strengthen our borders,” Jenkins said. “To President Trump, on behalf of the people of West Virginia: Thank you for keeping your promises. You’ll always be welcome in West Virginia.”