[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15405]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        IN SUPPORT OF TAX REFORM

  (Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in 
support of H. Con. Res. 71. It has been said frequently that our 
Federal Tax Code today is more than 60 times longer than the Bible, and 
it contains none of the good news.
  It has been more than 30 years since we updated our tax system, and 
many Americans are struggling to make ends meet, to find decent paying 
jobs and prepare for retirement.
  No matter where I travel in my district, Mr. Speaker, Louisiana's 
Fourth District, I hear story after story about how our excessive Tax 
Code and burdensome regulations continue to hinder our businesses and 
stunt our economic growth.
  Congress must act now and deliver a Tax Code that meets the current 
demands of the 21st century economy.
  Fortunately, my Republican colleagues and I have put forth a 
framework to do exactly that. Our plan will create more jobs, fairer 
taxes, and bigger paychecks for working class Americans and small 
businesses.
  When the people are allowed to keep more of their hard-earned dollars 
instead of turning them over to an already bloated Federal Government, 
we will unleash the free market again.
  It is well past time we get our economy back on track, and passing 
meaningful tax reform is a crucial first step in completing that 
mission.

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