[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 194 (Wednesday, November 29, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD ON TAX REFORM

  (Mr. SCHRADER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHRADER. Mr. Speaker, a $1.5 trillion deficit, that is what the 
so-called fiscally conservative Republican friends of mine want to add 
to our Nation's already huge debt, a debt they decried for many years, 
a debt that, according to former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Mike 
Mullen, is the greatest threat to our country in the coming decades.
  There is really no need of that--none. We can do tax reform that 
better advantages the middle class and small businesses without adding 
$1.5 trillion to our debt. By simply making the tax benefits fairer 
among income groups, you can have growth-enhancing, deficit-neutral tax 
reform with zero--yes, zero--addition to our debt and deficit.
  If a 25 percent tax rate is good enough for small businesses, it 
should be good enough for corporations.
  There is no need to eliminate the AMT for wealthy Americans earning 
over $250,000 or completely eliminating the estate tax. Tweak it, and 
you can protect every small business and farm in America with a very 
progressive Tax Code.
  Why should wealthy Americans get to deduct more expenses than working 
men and women? A 25 percent deduction for expenses levels the playing 
field for everyone.
  Make these types of changes and you can get rid of the gimmicks in 
the Republican bill and benefit the middle class. There is no need to 
add $1.5 trillion to our debt.

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