House Republicans in the United States have launched a concerted push to promote last year's sweeping tax legislation on Tax Day, but the effort appears to be falling flat. Refunds have risen only modestly, with most taxpayers reporting little noticeable difference in their finances, undermining party hopes that a surge in returns would translate into electoral goodwill. The political impact of the cuts has been further blunted by ongoing cost-of-living pressures tied to the US military conflict in the Middle East, with even conservative tax advocates acknowledging that wartime economics are overshadowing any fiscal relief ordinary Americans may have received.