Booker and Van Hollen Propose Major Income‑Tax Relief for Low‑ and Middle‑Income Households

CBS reports that Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland have introduced separate federal tax bills that would sharply reduce or eliminate income‑tax liability for millions of low‑ and middle‑income Americans, directly challenging President Trump’s recently enacted 'big, beautiful bill' of tax cuts. Van Hollen’s Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act would create a cost‑of‑living exemption pegged to MIT’s living‑wage research, shielding at least $46,000 of income for single filers and up to $92,000 for married couples, with a phaseout starting at $80,500 in earnings. Booker’s plan would more than double the standard deduction, lifting it to $75,000 for married couples and proportionally for other filers, on top of the existing 2026 standard deduction levels of $16,100 for singles and $32,200 for joint filers. The proposals come as Republicans argue Trump’s law is already boosting average tax refunds by about $1,000, with new provisions such as a $6,000 senior deduction and tax‑free tips and overtime, while critics say that package favored higher earners and cut safety‑net spending. Together, the bills preview a central tax‑policy clash heading into the next budget fights: whether new revenue from tariffs and other sources should be used to deepen across‑the‑board cuts or to target relief toward workers struggling with basic living costs.