On the recordMarch 28, 2012
It is good to get a chance to have this debate that is unique on the House floor, to be able to go through this. Obviously, we look forward to the day that the Senate has this same kind of dialog back and forth on what are spending priorities in the budget. It's now well over 1,000 days since the Senate has had any kind of conversation like this. It's terrific to be able to have this. There are some areas of this budget that I'd take a look at and I would say I would completely concur with. This budget takes on things like the AMT fix, the alternative minimum tax, and tries to resolve that over time. I think that's a terrific idea, and we need to get a chance to move forward on that. But it does some things that I don't think many people in my district would be in favor of. Many people in my district look at the tax policy and say it's incredibly complicated and complex. This budget moves the tax system from six tiers to 10 tiers and dramatically increases the complexity of our Tax Code. It also changes the death tax to a 65 percent death tax. It puts Uncle Sam squarely on the end of coffins, and as the grieving family is there, Uncle Sam is standing there saying, I'm waiting for my cut. I think that's the wrong way to go. There's a large carbon tax that's included with this. With gas prices going up, energy prices on the rise, I don't think this is the time to also increase the price of energy again in that.…





