Jerry Moran: “Just to underscore the point that the gentleman from Massachusetts made, we have had so many proposals that would have…”

“Just to underscore the point that the gentleman from Massachusetts made, we have had so many proposals that would have required an offset in the revenue code to do the right thing. In most cases people recommend ways to reduce taxes because that is what the public seems to prefer, obviously. But there have been several other measures that have been suggested by the Republican majority, such as phasing out much of the benefits of the earned income tax credit. That was about $32 billion, a major component of the tax reduction and budget resolution proposal that the majority suggested. Yet that never could have even been on the table because it in effect is an income tax increase and in fact would have required a two-thirds vote, which never would have passed. Mr. Speaker, obviously the situation where people renounce their citizenship so they can avoid taxes due, that would have amounted to $3.6 billion. That would never be on the table because obviously that is an income tax increase and obviously in conflict with this legislation. But we can go through virtually every significant tax proposal that has been made by both sides of this aisle and in some way violates the two-thirds income tax increase restrictions.”