[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 20, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1736-E1738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1, TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. KEVIN BRADY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 19, 2017

  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from 
Ford Motor Company, MetLife, Coalition Letter, Americans for

[[Page E1737]]

Tax Reform, National Taxpayers Union, and a letter signed by National 
Taxpayers Union, 60 Plus Association, ALEC Action, American Action 
Network, American Commitment, American Conservative Union, Americans 
for a Strong Economy, Americans for Tax Reform, Association of Mature 
American Citizens (AMAC), Campaign for Liberty, Center for Freedom and 
Prosperity, Center for Individual Freedom, Center for Worker Freedom, 
Club for Growth, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE), Council 
for Citizens Against Government Waste, Digital Liberty, Faith & Freedom 
Coalition, Family Business Coalition, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, 
FreedomWorks, Heritage Action for America, Hispanic Leadership Fund, 
Independent Women's Voice, Institute for a Policy Innovation, Invest in 
Education Coalition, The James Madison Institute, The John K. Maclver 
Institute for Public Policy, Middle Class Growth Initiative, Niskanen 
Center, Property Rights Alliance, Rio Grande Foundation, Small Business 
& Entrepreneurship Council, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Tea Party 
Patriots Citizens Fund, and Women for Trump:

                                               Ford Motor Company.
       As an American automaker with more than 85,000 U.S. 
     employees, we applaud your strong commitment to producing tax 
     reform that we believe will help support continued investment 
     in American manufacturing and the good-paying jobs it 
     supports.
       Over the last five years, Ford has invested more than $12 
     billion in its U.S. factories. We have more U.S. hourly 
     employees and produce more vehicles in the U.S. than any 
     other automaker. We also continue to expand our ranks of 
     high-tech engineering, research and IT jobs in the U.S. and 
     each year, we invest nearly $7 billion in research and 
     development, the vast majority of which is conducted in the 
     United States. We believe these investments will not only 
     enhance our products today, but lead to the innovation that 
     transforms the future of transportation.
       Your collective work and perseverance in driving tax reform 
     is critical to America's continued leadership in today's 
     globally competitive marketplace. We urge you to quickly pass 
     this proposal and seize this generational opportunity to make 
     tax reform a reality.
                                  ____
                                  
                                                          MetLife.
       ``MetLife has been on the record since September in support 
     of pro-growth tax reform. We argued that companies should set 
     aside narrow self-interest and support any tax package that 
     boosts growth and jobs. The conference report on the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act of 2017 meets that test and we urge its 
     enactment.''
                                  ____
                                  
                                                 Coalition Letter.
       On behalf of the undersigned organizations and our millions 
     of members from across the country, we write in support of 
     the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     (TCJA). With passage of this historic legislation, Congress 
     will finally deliver on the promise of fundamental tax 
     reform. TCJA will encourage economic growth, simplify the tax 
     code, and provide American families and individuals with 
     much-needed tax relief.
       On the individual side of the code, it will provide 
     immediate financial benefits to American households by 
     cutting rates across the board, doubling the standard 
     deduction, and expanding the child tax credit. It will 
     simplify the tax code so that more than 90 percent of filers 
     will be able to avoid the complicated and burdensome process 
     of itemization.
       For businesses, the TCJA drops the corporate rate from 35 
     percent to a far more competitive 21 percent, which is below 
     the average for industrialized nations. Corporations and 
     small businesses alike would see lower rates and reduced 
     burdens. It also creates a modern, territorial system of 
     taxation that ends the competitive disadvantage that U.S. 
     businesses face internationally. These changes will encourage 
     more entrepreneurship, increase wages, create jobs, and lead 
     to more investment in the domestic economy.
       With these changes and more, lawmakers are casting a vision 
     for the future of this country; one that empowers 
     individuals, families and businesses to invest and succeed in 
     the American dream.
       The Conference Report to H.R. 1 is a pro-growth, pro-
     family, and pro-worker legislative proposal. We encourage all 
     Members of Congress to support its passage.
       Pete Sepp, National Taxpayers Union, James L. Martin, 60 
     Plus Association, Lisa B. Nelson, ALEC Action, Corry Bliss, 
     American Action Network, Phil Kerpen, American Commitment, 
     Daniel Schneider, American Conservative Union, Tom 
     Giovanetti, Americans for a Strong Economy, Grover Norquist, 
     Americans for Tax Reform, Dan Weber, Association of Mature 
     American Citizens (AMAC).
       Norm Singleton, Campaign for Liberty, Andrew F. Quinlan, 
     Center for Freedom and Prosperity, Jeffrey Mazzella, Center 
     for Individual Freedom, Olivia Grady, Center for Worker 
     Freedom, David McIntosh, Club for Growth, Matthew Kandrach, 
     Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE), Tom Schatz, 
     Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Katie 
     McAuliffe, Digital Liberty, Timothy Head, Faith & Freedom 
     Coalition, Alex Ayers, Family Business Coalition.
       Annette Meeks, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, Jason Pye, 
     FreedomWorks, Michael A. Needham, Heritage Action for 
     America, Mario Lopez, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Heather R. 
     Higgins, Independent Women's Voice, Tom Giovanetti, Institute 
     for a Policy Innovation, Thomas W. Carroll, Invest in 
     Education Coalition, J. Robert McClure, The James Madison 
     Institute, Brett Healy, The John K. Maclver Institute for 
     Public Policy.
       Michael Steel, Middle Class Growth Initiative, Jerry 
     Taylor, Niskanen Center, Lorenzo Montanari, Property Rights 
     Alliance, Paul Gessing, Rio Grande Foundation, Karen 
     Kerrigan, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, David 
     Williams, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Jenny Beth Martin, 
     Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund, Amy Kremer, Women for 
     Trump.
                                  ____
                                  
                                         Americans for Tax Reform.


                              Letter No. 2

   Norquist Statement on Conference Report for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

       ``A floor wax AND a delicious dessert topping that will 
     create millions of American jobs and simplify and lower taxes 
     on Americans''
       ATR president Grover Norquist praised the conference report 
     for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as follows:
       ``In December 1975 Saturday Night Live unveiled ``Shimmer'' 
     which was a floor wax AND a dessert topping. [See the video 
     here]
       ``Today in December 2017 Republicans will enact the Tax 
     Cuts and Jobs Act. The bill is a floor wax and a delicious 
     dessert topping: it will create millions of American jobs AND 
     simplify and lower taxes on Americans.
       ``It reduces taxes on American corporations AND small 
     businesses.
       ``It simplifies the tax code so most Americans can file on 
     a postcard AND offers tax relief for Americans at every 
     income level.
       ``It will increase take-home pay AND grow the economy.
       ``It will end the Obamacare mandate tax paid by millions of 
     Americans--80% of whom earn less than $50,000--AND it will 
     free up oil in Alaska.''


                              Letter No. 2

 Key Vote: ATR Urges ``YES'' Vote on Conference Report to H.R. 1, the 
                         Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will create millions of American 
     jobs and higher wages AND simplify and lower taxes on 
     Americans at every income level.
       ATR Urges a YES vote.
       Later this week, members of the House and Senate will vote 
     on the conference report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs 
     Act. ATR urges a YES vote on this pro-growth, pro-family 
     legislation.
       This legislation offers tax reduction and simplification 
     for families, individuals, small businesses, and 
     corporations. Over the next decade, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     reduces taxes by $5.5 trillion and eliminates $4 trillion 
     worth of distortionary credits and deductions.
       H.R. 1 simplifies the tax code so most Americans can file 
     on a postcard and offers tax relief for Americans at every 
     income level. Under this plan, a family of four with the 
     nationwide median income of $73,000 will receive a tax cut of 
     $2,059.
       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will also grow the economy 
     leading to increased take-home pay and the creation of new or 
     better jobs for families across the country.
       In addition, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ends the Obamacare 
     mandate tax paid by millions of Americans--80% of whom earn 
     less than $50,000--and allows responsible production of oil 
     in Alaska.
       By voting YES on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, members of the 
     House and Senate have a rare opportunity to reform the broken 
     tax code and offer relief to families and businesses across 
     the country. All Senators and Congressmen should vote for 
     H.R. 1.
                                  ____

                                         National Taxpayers Union.

                  National Taxpayers Union Vote Alert

       NTU strongly urges all Members of Congress to vote ``YES'' 
     on the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the ``Tax Cuts and Jobs 
     Act.'' This legislation would overhaul our nation's broken 
     tax code, stimulate economic growth, and provide struggling 
     American families with much-needed tax relief. Tax reform is 
     our nation's highest fiscal priority. For too long, our tax 
     code has held back our economy and placed a heavy burden on 
     American workers and job creators. H.R. 1 will make U.S. 
     businesses significantly more competitive by lowering the 
     corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, shifting to 
     a territorial system of taxation, and incentivizing capital 
     investment into the economy. All of these changes will 
     benefit American workers from across the economic spectrum by 
     increasing wages and creating new jobs.
       Additionally, H.R. 1 will ease the burden of taxation by 
     doubling the standard deduction so that over 90 percent of 
     filers can avoid the complicated process of itemization. It 
     will provide immediate benefits to families via a 100 percent 
     increase in the child tax credit and lower rates on taxable 
     income across the board. Under H.R. 1, a typical family of 
     four will be able to earn just over $56,000 before having to 
     pay a penny in federal income taxes, expanding what is known 
     as the ``zero percent tax bracket.'' Americans need tax 
     reform and tax relief. H.R. 1 delivers on both counts.
       Roll call votes on H.R. 1 will be heavily weighted in our 
     annual Rating of Congress

[[Page E1738]]

     and a ``YES'' vote will be considered the pro-taxpayer 
     position.

                          ____________________