[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6777]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                            TAX FREEDOM DAY

  (Mr. HEFLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, Americans love to celebrate landmarks and 
anniversaries: Christmas day, Independence Day, New Year's Day. But 
yesterday was one of my personal favorites, Tax Freedom Day. That is 
the day when hard-working Americans have finally paid their tax burdens 
and can begin earning for themselves and their families.
  This chart illustrates when that day is over the years. I invite 
Members to use this opportunity to reflect on the problems with our 
current tax system. First, it is cumbersome. Our Tax Code exceeds 2.8 
million words, more than War and Peace and the Bible combined.
  It is unfair. It discriminates against married couples, the elderly, 
even the dead. It is discouraging. It punishes investing and saving and 
steals profits from healthy businesses and confuses a large majority of 
Americans trying to decipher its complicated forms.
  Today, I encourage my colleagues to support reform and tax reduction 
measures that will truly provide tax freedom for hard-working 
Americans.

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