[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TAX REFORM NOW
(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, a recent survey asking Americans to rank
the least three desirable situations, revealed the following: Number
three was being called by your boss and saying you are fired. Number
two, well, it was going to lunch at a nice restaurant and finding your
spouse dining with an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. And the first worst
nightmare for Americans was going to the mailbox and finding a letter
whose return address was the IRS.
These examples, think about it, while graphic, illustrate the growing
fear and frustrations the American people have with our tax system.
April 1st is a day that brings practical jokes to the minds of many,
yet the clock ticks on toward April 15th, a day that brings fear and
paralysis to all working men and women.
Mr. Speaker, only a few citizens are left in this country who can do
their own taxes, and yet horror stories of IRS abuse are still
mounting. The time to act is now. I urge my colleagues to join me in
the tax reform effort, to make this the last April 1st where the
American taxpayers are made out to be the fools.
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