Todd Tiahrt: “I am disappointed the House today voted to pass a bill that would replace one arbitrary unjust tax with another…”

“I am disappointed the House today voted to pass a bill that would replace one arbitrary unjust tax with another arbitrary unjust tax under the guise of compromise. The House has overwhelmingly voted, with strong bipartisan support, to permanently repeal the death tax five times in the past 5 years. I have voted each time in favor of full repeal. Some of my colleagues believe we will not be able to gain the Senate's support for full repeal of this egregious tax. And for this reason, the House should pass a compromise bill that would partially eliminate a tax that an overwhelming majority of this body and my constituents believe should be completely repealed. Rather than partially doing the right thing in the name of compromise, the House should stand steadfast on this issue. When the House passed H.R. 5638 today, we sent a message of defeat on the willingness of this Congress to put this issue to rest. Once those who want to keep the death tax know the House is willing to compromise, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for this body to exert the political will to permanently and completely eliminate the death tax. For this reason I opposed passage of the premature compromise bill. My constituents in Kansas know the death tax is a duplicative tax on small businesses and family farms that, in many cases, families have spent generations building. Small business owners, farmers and ranchers should not be taxed by the Federal Government when they die.…”