[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 41 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           REFORM OF THE IRS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, though the federal 
government does few things well, when it comes to collecting taxes, the 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a proficient, ruthless, and 
relentless agency squeezing every subject for the government's due, and 
then some.
  Last month the president called ``irresponsible'' and ``reckless'' 
the several efforts by Republicans in Congress to reign in the IRS. 
These reforms entail restoring taxpayer rights, curbing IRS abuses, and 
ultimately rebuilding a sense of fairness in America's tax policy.
  Furthermore, Congressional reformers are seeking to turn the tables 
on the IRS by burdening the bureaucracy with justifying its policies 
before proceeding on its confiscatory mission.
  The debate in Washington, D.C. is centered on the differences between 
those who demand dramatic improvements and those content to merely 
tinker with the tax code.
  Meanwhile, Americans will spend a combined 5\1/2\ billion hours this 
year working to comply with our current tax system.
  April is tax month, a time to reflect on the financial cost of 
citizenship. The federal budget tops $1.7 trillion this year.
  In spite of the Capitol Hill hoopla about a supposed federal budget 
surplus, the total federal debt has recently surpassed $5.5 trillion 
and continues to grow. In fact, during the time separating the delivery 
of President Clinton's 1997 State of the Union address and his 1998 
version, the debt grew an incredible $185 billion!
  The IRS employs 114,000 agents who churn out eight billion pages of 
forms and instructions mailed to Americans every year. Even the 
simplest form, the 1040 EZ, has 33 pages of fine-print instructions. 
Over 300,000 trees were harvested just to produce the paper for these 
missives.
  In Congress, I've joined the growing crowd calling for wholesale 
reform of the IRS. For example, I'm backing efforts to repeal the death 
tax (estate tax), to abolish the marriage penalty, and to further 
eliminate taxes which discourage investment and savings.
  I'm also calling for a sunset of the IRS tax code by December 31, 
2001. This unprecedented act would force the IRS and Congress to agree 
on a fair, simpler tax law. The ``sunset'' provision would answer the 
customary political gridlock in Congress with the promise to pull the 
IRS out by its roots until leaders can agree to put taxpayers ahead of 
bureaucrats.
  Taxation is unavoidable. However, tax fairness and simplicity are 
features upon which Americans should insist.

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