In an email to constituents, Booker said the legislation is intended to help “working people … whose American dream is feeling out of reach because they can’t afford to get by, let alone get ahead.”
The Keep Your Pay Act would exempt the first $75,000 of household earnings from federal income tax and broaden eligibility for the child tax credit, a move Booker described as “a practical way to help lower‑income residents keep their heads above water.”
Booker highlighted his track record on criminal‑justice reform, noting that he sponsored the First Step Act, now law, which addresses sentencing disparities, improves treatment of juveniles and promotes rehabilitation.
He also cited his sponsorship of the Fair Chance Act, which bars federal agencies and contractors from inquiring about a job applicant’s criminal history before a conditional offer, and the 9/11 Memorial Act, which placed the National September 11 Memorial & Museum into the National Park System.
In addition to legislative work, Booker said he helped secure $6.8 billion in federal funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project, a major infrastructure effort that will improve rail service between New York and New Jersey.
The senator reiterated his opposition to President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, stating he will “use every tool and power available to … stand up to this administration” and “put a check on their agenda of chaos, corruption and cruelty.”
Booker framed the Keep Your Pay Act as part of a broader agenda to “create an economy where New Jerseyans can redeem the American Dream again,” linking tax relief to his push for additional federal resources for projects such as the Gateway and Delaware River Bridge replacements.