Lawmakers seek to raise minimum tobacco purchase age, repeal ObamaCare taxes via spending deal
A provision to incease the minimum age to buy tobacco is one provision being debated by lawmakers rushing to agree on a spending deal this week to avoid a government shutdown, and cutting taxes levied by the Affordable Care Act are others.
The minimum age to purchase tobacco products could be raised to 21 in the U.S., a source familiar with the spending deal confirmed to FOX Business on Monday.
As it stands, states have the ability to raise the age to purchase tobacco products. Nearly 20 states, including California to Hawaii to New York and Virginia, have raised the age to buy tobacco to 21.
Lawmakers also want to permanently repeal three ObamaCare taxes: the “Cadillac tax,” the health insurance tax and the medical device tax, the source told FOX Business.
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The unpopular Cadillac tax is a 40 percent tax on the costliest employer-sponsored health plans, while the health insurance tax is levied on small businesses, seniors and others covered through work or who buy their own coverage.
The medical device tax is a 2.3 percent levy on sales of certain medical devices.
Two spending bills are expected to be sent to the House floor for debate on Tuesday. They would fund the government through September. The deadline to fund the government is midnight Friday.
Additionally, military pay is expected to increase by 3.1 percent, FOX Business learned, which would be the largest increase in a decade.
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FOX Business’ Hillary Vaughn contributed to this article.