Republican Bill Johnson of Marietta voted for the bill, as did five of his Ohio GOP colleagues.

Seven Ohio Republicans voted against it. All five Ohio Democrats voted yes. 

In an interview with WMOA News, Congressman Johnson said he did not like the bill but voted yes due to its low tax rates for 99 percent of Americans. 

“Most of the people in Ohio’s sixth congressional district fall into that category,” said Johnson, “And these are permanent tax rates, where before we were having renew these things year after year and fight with the President and Senate to do it. It also made permanent the alternative minimum tax and tied it to inflation – that avoided 33 million more Americans seeing an increase in their taxes.” 

Johnson adds that his most important reason for voting “aye” was a nine month extension of the Farm Bill. “Had that not happened, the law would have reverted to a law that was on the books in the 1940s…and that would have resulted in the prices of milk and cheese to double in grocery stores.” 

Congressman Johnson notes some provisions of the bill he particularly disliked included tax credits for green energy projects and leaving out reforms to social safety nets such as Medicare and Social Security.