[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 147 (Thursday, December 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TAX INCREASE PREVENTION ACT OF 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 3, 2014

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, as Ranking Member of the House Budget 
Committee, it is abundantly clear to me that what our country needs 
most right now--and what we really should be voting on today--is 
comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform that encourages investment at 
home, drives job creation and delivers broadly shared prosperity to all 
Americans.
  Instead, we are voting to retroactively extend a group of over 50, 
mostly business-related, temporary tax provisions that expired at the 
end of last year--until the end of this year. Which is now about four 
weeks away.
  That's what today's legislation does. It retroactively takes these 
50-odd expired provisions back to the beginning of the year, and then 
extends them forward for the next four weeks, at which point they will 
expire again and we'll be right back to square one.
  Let me be clear: I support a number of these expiring provisions--
like the R&D Tax Credit--and think they should be made permanent as 
part of comprehensive tax reform. And there are additional steps I 
think we should be taking--like extending the Health Care Tax Credit 
for trade-displaced workers and older workers whose pensions have been 
taken over by the PBGC. And ending the egregious practice of so-called 
corporate inversions once and for all.
  I am reluctantly supporting this bill because, without it, many 
individuals and businesses would see an effective tax increase.
  But Mr. Speaker, at some point, we're going to have to stop kicking 
the can down the road. From my perspective, that moment can't come soon 
enough.

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