[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1097-H1098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONGRESS MUST PASS LEGISLATION REFORMING THE IRS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, today we are 35 days away from April the 
15th, a dreaded day for every American taxpayer. As we all struggle 
through this burdensome time of year, please allow me to share with my 
colleagues some facts.
  The average American family today pays more in taxes than it spends 
on food, clothing and shelter combined. Mr. Speaker, I want to repeat 
that. The average working family in America today pays more in taxes 
than it spends on food, clothing and shelter combined.
  The Gettysburg address is only 269 words, the Declaration of 
Independence is only 1,337 words, and the Holy Bible is only 773,000 
words. However, the tax law has grown from 11,400 words in 1913, to 7 
million words today. I want to repeat that. The tax law has grown from 
11,400 words in 1913 to 7 million words today.
  There are at least 480 different tax forms. The easiest form, the 
1040 EZ, has 33 pages of instructions, all in fine print. As a result, 
Americans devote 5.4 billion hours, 5.4 billion hours, to complying 
with the Tax Code each year, which is more time than it takes to 
produce every car, truck and van made in the United States. I think 
that is worthy to be repeated also, Mr. Speaker. Americans devote 5.4 
billion hours to complying with the Tax Code each year, which is more 
time than it takes to produce every car, truck and van made in the 
United States.
  Americans also spend $200 billion each year on tax lawyers, 
accountants and other costs associated with tax law compliance. The IRS 
sends out 8 billion pages of forms and instructions each year, which, 
if laid end to end, would stretch 28 times around the earth. I want to 
repeat that. The Internal Revenue Service sends out 8 billion pages

[[Page H1098]]

of forms and instructions each year which, if laid end to end, would 
stretch 28 times around the earth.
  The IRS, the Internal Revenue Service, employs 114,000 people. That 
is twice as many as the CIA and five times more than the FBI.
  Unfortunately, I could go on and on with equally horrifying facts. 
The American tax system is simply out of control. Our families and 
businesses are facing a burden that is far too high and this Congress 
must do something to help them.
  Last year we provided the first tax relief in 16 years, and that is a 
good start, but, Mr. Speaker, it is not enough. The American tax burden 
is much more than the size of the check we write to the Internal 
Revenue Service each year. It is also the difficulty in cost of 
complying with a lengthy and complicated Tax Code.
  The best thing that we can do to help families and businesses 
nationwide is to give them a simpler, fairer tax system. This will give 
families more time to spend together, it will give businesses more time 
to do their business, and it will allow everyone to keep more of their 
hard-earned dollars.
  I know that a reduced tax burden is appealing to people in my 
district, the third district of eastern North Carolina. Somehow I 
imagine that people throughout this Nation think it is a pretty good 
idea also.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join those of us in this 
Congress, bipartisan, to reduce the tremendous burden American 
taxpayers currently face. Bills have been introduced to sunset the Tax 
Code and to replace it with a fairer and simpler tax system. It is 
critical that we pass this legislation and start the debate about how 
exactly to give the taxpayers the relief they deserve. Whether it be a 
flat tax or a national sales tax, or another modification of the tax 
system, the American people need this and deserve this.
  This debate will separate those of us on both sides of the aisle who 
are serious about tax reform from those who simply talk about it. Talk 
is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Mr. Speaker, we have an 
opportunity in this Congress, the 105th Congress, to bring relief to 
the American taxpayers and it is something we need to do.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation for the sake of the 
American people. Let us eliminate the Internal Revenue Code and replace 
it with a fairer and simpler tax system.

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