Statement on Congressman John James's Personal Financial Benefit from Tax Law He Voted For
According to a new analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), Congressman James is estimated to receive between $3,300 and $12,400 in personal tax breaks in 2026 alone from the tax law he voted for. With reported income ranging as high as half a million dollars, James is among the wealthiest members of Congress who will directly cash in on legislation that cuts critical programs for working families.
“As a business owner in this community, I see every day what families are going through—customers working two jobs who can't afford their health insurance, employees skipping meals because SNAP benefits were cut, mothers panicking about whether WIC will run out before they can get formula for their babies.” said Macomb County Commissioner and small business owner, Michael Howard. “Meanwhile, Congressman James voted himself a $10,000 tax break while cutting the very programs these families depend on to survive. He's not choosing between groceries and medicine or lying awake wondering how to afford healthcare—he's counting his tax savings while the rest of us are counting pennies. Rep. John James needs to do right by his constituents and reverse these harmful cuts, implement policies that actually lower costs, or explain why his bank account mattered more than their healthcare, their children's food, and their ability to keep their heads above water."
This summer, Congressman John James voted for the Republican Tax Law that enacted the largest cuts to Medicaid in American history, slashed SNAP benefits, and put affordable healthcare out of reach for millions of families. But while his constituents face higher healthcare costs and reduced food assistance, James stands to personally profit from his own vote.
“This is the clearest example of a rigged system: Congressman James voted to cut healthcare and food assistance for working families so that he and other wealthy individuals could receive tax breaks. He literally enriched himself while making his constituents worse off,” said Michigan Families for Fair Care Executive Director Steve Lawson. “James chose to side with the ultra-wealthy and prioritize his own financial interests over the health and wellbeing of the people he was elected to represent. That's not leadership—Congressman James owes his constituents an explanation for why his personal tax break was more important than their ability to afford healthcare, feed their children, and access the programs they depend on to survive.”
The Tax Law James voted for provides the largest benefits and breaks to the richest taxpayers and corporations. Its cuts to health, nutrition, and other priorities will more than offset any tax cuts received by most working-class families, leaving them worse off. While James pockets thousands in tax savings, Now, over 30,000 people in MI-07 could face doubled premiums and 20,000 will lose access to health care due to Medicaid cuts from the Republican Tax Law. This is a crisis and he refuses to face his constituents. Actions speak louder than words, and James' actions show he cares more about profiting from tax breaks for the wealthy than protecting healthcare for Michigan families.
