authority to adjust this exclusion amount depending on cost-of-living factors in differing world metropolises. Criticism The TIPRA has been criticised by commentators and Democratic congressional representatives for providing what these critics believe are tax cuts only for the wealthy and corporations, doing little for low- and middle-income citizens and further increasing the federal budget deficit. Additionally, the Act imposed a retroactive tax increase on unearned income of many Americans living abroad who claimed the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. This increase is amplified by the rapid decline of the dollar against most major foreign currencies which has decoupled the relationship between tax rate and real earnings (i.e. Americans abroad can expect increases in overall tax even if there are no increases to their real income in local currency). A provision amending the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 imposed of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities, starting on January 1, 2011. This implementation was pushed back to January 1, 2013. It was almost immediately criticized, and in October, 2011 the House passed HR 674 to repeal the provision entirely. References External links Ways and Means Committee Summary, via House.gov Senate Finance Committee Summary, via Senate.gov Statement of Managers, via Senate.gov Full text of the Act Estimated Revenue Effects, via House.gov Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, via TaxAlmanac.com United States federal taxation legislation Acts of the 109th United States Congress