OPINION:
Like millions of other young people over the years, I became a Republican when I received my first paycheck at age 16. At the time, I worked at a sale barn in Kansas, sorting heifers and steers and cleaning up cow pens. I was stunned when I saw how much money the government was taking.
Sometimes, I worked only eight hours on a Saturday, but on big sale days, I might work double that or more. In several instances, I worked 24 hours in a row.
Despite the hard work and long days, I didn’t mind because I was paid time and a half beyond eight hours. You can imagine how disappointing it was to see the government take an even bigger, more disproportionate share of that wage. I’ll certainly never forget how it felt.
I have no doubt that the same feeling persists every pay period for the millions of Americans working overtime. In many ways, we are still digging out from underneath the historic inflation of the Biden-Harris administration, which squeezed incomes to their breaking points.
Although President Trump’s historic first 100 days have made a big difference for millions of Americans by lowering prices and making us safer, we can secure more wins in Congress to help deliver for the American people.
Mr. Trump promised the American people that his administration would advance a pro-worker, pro-family agenda prioritizing Main Street over Wall Street. Under the Trump agenda, our middle class will no longer be hollowed out, left behind and forgotten.
For years, Wall Street has had its time to become more powerful and wealthier than ever before, and the Trump administration is ensuring we have an economy where it can continue to thrive.
As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent eloquently stated, “It’s Main Street’s turn to hire workers, Main Street’s turn to drive investment, and Main Street’s turn to restore the American dream.”
One way we can deliver on this promise is to ensure the Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act is included in our “one big, beautiful reconciliation bill.”
Working with Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, our bill would create an income tax deduction for overtime wage earners targeted specifically to lower- and middle-income Americans.
Factory workers, truck drivers, law enforcement, nurses, construction workers, firefighters and others work long hours, often late at night. Their labor builds critical infrastructure, saves lives, keeps us safe and ensures our nation is supplied with food and high-quality goods.
Despite what elites in Washington would have you believe, this work has immense dignity, and these workers keep our country safe and thriving.
Letting them keep more of what they earn is morally correct and a smart economic policy.
Something forgotten in this discussion is that workers are also consumers. Allowing these hardworking Americans to keep more money will allow them to purchase a new work truck, new clothes or toys for the children, or a new purse for a loved one on Mother’s Day.
We also have a problem with worker shortages in some sectors. I’m confident that more American workers would be willing to fill these jobs if we didn’t have a tax on overtime pay.
With the president’s strategic application of tariffs, we are seeing a spike in sales of American-made manufactured products in Kansas. That’s great news, but the demand for jobs to be filled could slow that growth. The incentives are right before us if we’re willing to go to bat for our workers.
None of this policy is revolutionary. We should respect the American workers and families who are building this nation. One of the simplest ways to demonstrate that respect is to let them keep the fruits of their labor.
Some have described the Republican Party’s pro-family, pro-worker push as “populism.” I like to think of it as conservatism with a heart, embracing the view that America’s government and economy should serve the people, not special interests or powerful elites.
Mr. Trump won the presidency in November by running on the promise to prioritize Main Street over Wall Street. He promised to do this by reigniting the American economic engine, eliminating nonsensical regulations and cutting taxes on overtime, tips and Social Security.
By including the Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act in our reconciliation package, we can codify part of that vision and keep the president’s promise to the hardworking people whom Congress serves.
• Dr. Roger Marshall is a Republican senator from Kansas.
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