[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 53 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E563]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                TAX DAY

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                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 15, 2010

  Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, it's Tax Day in America, and once again 
millions have gone through the struggle of trying to figure out our 
complicated tax laws. Our tax code is far too complicated and unwieldy.
  The IRS' Taxpayer Advocate stated, ``The [Tax] Code has grown so long 
that it has become challenging even to figure out how long it is.'' A 
2001 study put the number of words at 1.3 million. A 2005 report put 
the number of words at 2.1 million. The Taxpayer Advocate's search of 
the tax code turned up 3.7 million words. The tax code has more than 
tripled since 1975.
  It is estimated that individual taxpayers spent 3.8 billion hours 
complying with federal income tax laws. The IRS reported that 
individuals spent $29 billion in 2009 for tax software, tax preparers, 
and other expenses to filing their returns.
  We need real tax reform in our country. We need a simplified tax code 
that ensures that everyone pays their fair share and a tax code that is 
easily understood without excessive complexities.

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