John Shaw: “much has been said on this floor that is simply not true. What is threatening Social Security today? The inaction of the…”

“much has been said on this floor that is simply not true. What is threatening Social Security today? The inaction of the other side of the aisle, the uncooperative spirit, not all Members. I am not speaking to all Members there. But we have reached out to the Democrats time and time again with the Archer-Shaw proposal. We have been met with this wall of silence. We have reached out to the President who made this his big promise in facing the Nation, standing right behind where I am standing today. We have been met with a wall of silence. That is what is threatening Social Security today, not elimination of the death tax. What I think has been missing from this debate and is certainly missing from the substitute is the answer to the question that each Member should ask themselves as they come down here to vote today. Is the death tax a just tax? Should the event of death be taxed by the United States Congress and collected by the Internal Revenue Service? Should the family have to meet with the Internal Revenue Service the same day they meet with the undertaker? Is that a just tax? Is it a just tax? Is it a just tax that will destroy jobs and destroy businesses and destroy family farms? Is that a just tax? Is it a just tax to tax again at the highest rate that we have in our whole tax system, funds and wealth that has already been taxed by our income tax and God knows how many other taxes? Is that a just tax? I think the resounding answer is no.…”