[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 20 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H760]]
                        TAX CODE NEEDS OVERHAUL

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, the President referred to the proposed 
overhaul of the Tax Code as irresponsible. He went on to say that the 
Republican effort to reform the Nation's current income tax code would 
be simply reckless for the economy and families.
  Mr. President, I respectfully disagree. In my opinion, it would be 
irresponsible for Congress not to overhaul this Tax Code. It would be 
irresponsible for this Congress to allow such an inequitable, punitive 
Tax Code to continue to stifle the economic growth in this country. Mr. 
President, I feel it is irresponsible for you and your administration 
to blatantly stump for the status quo when the status quo represents a 
tax collection agency that is abusive to innocent working men and 
women, intrusive into the lives of each and every taxpayer, and callous 
to every American citizen.
  Although it is not clear at this point which type of alternative tax 
system would be best for this country, what is clear, however, is that 
the current tax system is broken and must undergo a complete overhaul. 
Mr. President, the only irresponsible action is your support for an 
unconscionable, unfair and defective tax system.

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