Max Baucus: “We also need to remember, this is not just about tax expenditures. There is much more to it than confining our…”

“We also need to remember, this is not just about tax expenditures. There is much more to it than confining our discussion to tax expenditures, because at its core tax reform means making the Tax Code more fair, easier to deal with for families all across our country. There are a lot of loopholes, on the other hand, in the code we should get rid of. People who can afford fancy tax advisers should not be able to take advantage of loopholes regular Americans do not have available to them. As chairman and ranking member of the committee, we are determined to complete tax reform this Congress. We cannot afford to be complacent. Improving the Tax Code provides a great opportunity to spark economic growth, to create jobs, and make U.S. businesses more competitive. I might add at this point, other countries are modernizing their codes. We are going to be left in the dust if we do not modernize ours. We need to hear from our colleagues as to what provisions they think will help us reach those goals. I have a great partner in this mission, my good friend Senator Hatch. I will keep communicating and working with the administration and the Senate leadership as we move forward. Working together we can get this done. I believe strongly that nothing of consequence ever happens around here if one person tries to accomplish something alone on his or her behalf; rather, matters of consequence are accomplished when people work together. We clearly want a matter of consequence to pass here.…”