Administration touts record tax refunds and expands ratepayer-protection pledge for data centers

At a White House press briefing, Caroline said the Working Families Tax Cuts "continues to deliver on its promise," and called the recent filing season "the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400." She repeated administration figures saying filers claimed $82,000,000,000 in direct tax relief and asserted that 97% of filers received a tax cut.

Caroline linked the law’s provisions — including a permanent 20% small-business deduction and full expensing for new equipment — to increased investment and hiring. "These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire, and invest right here at home," she said, and named several companies she said benefited from the changes.

On energy, Caroline previewed a presidential event at EPA headquarters later in the day to expand a "ratepayer protection pledge" to governors, state legislatures, utilities, co-ops, developers and power providers. She said nearly 200 additional stakeholders had signed on and that the pledge covers roughly 80% of power delivered to American homes and businesses, describing the pledge as a way to prevent taxpayers from "footing the bill so private companies can benefit."

A reporter asked whether the president would press utility executives to lower energy prices; Caroline said the pledge is designed so that developers and suppliers "pick up the tab" rather than shifting costs to ratepayers or taxpayers and reiterated the president would speak on the topic at EPA.

The briefing also included questions on a range of topics, and Caroline said the president would speak publicly later the same day and again at the Correspondents Association dinner the next evening. The president’s event schedule for the coming week includes a trip to Michigan and a cabinet meeting at Camp David, she said.