WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday blocked tax legislation that would have punished U.S. firms that export jobs. But the political symbolism of trying to save American jobs, not passing a bill, was the Democrats’ closing argument on the economy in the waning weeks of the congressional elections.
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The bill at issue in the Senate would exempt companies that import jobs from paying the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax for new U.S. employees who replace overseas workers who had been doing similar work.
The two-year exemption would be available for workers hired over the next three years. The tax cut — estimated to cost about $1 billion — would be partially offset by tax increases on companies that move jobs overseas.
The bill would prohibit firms from taking deductions for business expenses associated with expanding operations in other countries. It would increase taxes on U.S. companies that close domestic operations and expand foreign ones to import products to the U.S.
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