J.C. Watts: “I rise in support of H.R. 3097, the Tax Code Termination Act. America's income tax code is a heavy and complex burden…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3097, the Tax Code Termination Act. America's income tax code is a heavy and complex burden for America's families and small businesses. The complete income tax code is, in fact, 3,400 pages long. No wonder so many Americans are fed up with the federal tax code and want Congress to enact a simpler tax code. This is a most reasonable request. It's bad enough that the average family's taxes are too high. According to the Tax Foundation, forty percent of the average family's income goes to pay federal, state and local taxes. Mr. Speaker, this is much too high a tax burden. The American people should not have to work for the government and only get a sixty percent commission on their earnings. Congress should take steps this year to lower taxes so hard-working Americans can keep more of their paycheck for themselves and their families. Nonetheless, sooner or later, Congress is going to have to overhaul the tax system completely, and put in place new tax laws which are easily understood and easy to comply with. Families and small businesses should not have to spend hundreds of dollars to hire lawyers and accountants to do their taxes. A newer and simpler tax code will save taxpayers time and money. There a good debate in Congress these days about which type of new tax code is best. Some support a flat tax, which has its merits. Others support a national sales tax, an idea which also has its merits.”