Report: Virginia Republican to get big tax cut from bill he helped pass

US Rep. Rob Wittman disputes the report’s claim that he will “see direct personal benefits” from President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”

A new analysis by a nonprofit shows how one of Virginia’s wealthy members of Congress stands to gain financially from legislation he supported. 

Republican US Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia’s 1st congressional district could save between $19,900 and $59,300 in tax breaks because of President Donald Trump’s “ Big Beautiful Bill,” according to an analysis by the nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) done for Accountable.US.

Trump’s massive tax and spending bill included substantial tax cuts for the wealthy while slashing over $1 trillion from health care and food assistance programs for working people. The bill also included smaller tax cuts for lower-income households. 

Wittman, a Republican who voted for the Big Beautiful Bill, reported a total income of up to $883,000 in 2024 in his latest financial disclosure, according to ITEP. Wittman and his wife owned two rental properties with a value of at least $1.1 million that generated $105,000 or more in what’s called “potential pass-through income,” ITEP said. 

The salary for members of the US House of Representatives is $174,000. Wittman is worth about $5.6 million, according to the “alternative data firm” Quiver Quantitative, which analyzed Wittman’s annual financial disclosure statements. 

ITEP’s analysis highlighted how 10 members of the US House of Representatives stood to benefit from Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. Wittman was the only member of Virginia’s congressional delegation included in the analysis, and the range of his potential tax breaks went the highest. 

“Many lawmakers who were vocal supporters of this bill will see direct personal benefits while most of their constituents benefit little or will be worse off,” ITEP said in its report. 

Wittman disputed ITEP’s analysis in a statement to Dogwood. He said ITEP’s analysis contains “inaccuracies about what is eligible for” state and local tax deductions, also known as SALT deductions. 

SALT deductions allow taxpayers to lower how much they’re taxed by the federal government based on certain state and local taxes they paid. Trump’s megabill largely extends and makes permanent the cap on SALT deductions that was part of Trump’s 2017 tax law, ITEP said.  

While Virginia has a lower tax rate compared to other states, it is one of the states with the highest share of people including SALT deductions in their tax filings. 

Wittman also said the ITEP report “makes false assertions regarding my personal finances,” and defended his support for the Big Beautiful Bill, which has already been blamed for the closing of three rural health clinics outside his district in Virginia. 

“I reject this report’s misleading claims,” Wittman said. 

In response to Wittman’s statement, ITEP’s federal policy director, Steve Wamhoff, said the nonprofit based its analysis on public disclosures and, despite Wittman’s claims, the new tax law is not a boon for Virginians.

Nearly half of the new law’s tax cuts for Virginia next year will go to the state’s richest 5%, of which Wittman is a member, Wamhoff said in a statement to Dogwood. 

“We’d welcome a more detailed look at the Congressman’s finances in order to help Virginians get a clearer picture of how big a tax cut he’ll get next year,” Wamhoff said. 

Wittman has served in Congress since 2007 and is up for re-election next year for a seat Democrats are targeting to flip. The Democratic primary to challenge Wittman has attracted a slew of candidates, including Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor.

“Rob Wittman didn’t just vote for the massive tax bill that benefits the wealthy, he is personally cashing in on it,” Taylor said in a statement to Dogwood. “While Virginia families are paying more for groceries, gas, and health care, Wittman voted to give himself and his wealthy donors a tax break. That’s not leadership — that’s corruption.”