Tom Rice

The economy is still in the dumps, dragging along. Unemployment is far too high. And taxing them any more in any aspect is not a good thing.

Certainly, you know, we have to invest in infrastructure. Our infrastructure is not keeping pace with the rest of the world, and it makes us less competitive.

How are we going to do this in a national plan?

Like my colleague from Minnesota, I drive a Ford F-150.

Tax increases make us less competitive.

So, with the VMT, who--does anybody have any idea who is going to administer a VMT?

But under a VMT, my rural area, some of the more poor areas in Illinois, where I serve, it seems like they would be subsidizing projects in more urban areas.

As a taxpayer and a CPA for 25 years, I can point to numerous examples where the IRS is absolutely unresponsive and incapable of handling the job that it already has.

When you have got three of your top people either resigning or pleading the Fifth to avoid criminal prosecution in the last month, this thing is completely out of control.

This entity is completely out of control as far as I can tell.

You seem to be a very forthright and competent guy. But man, you have stepped into a big mess here.

Shame on us because that is exactly where I spent the last two days going around this capital with a Harvard professor, Michael Porter, who is an export in international competitiveness, and we have a lot of work to do.

Income tax, I think it hurts your growth. I think more and more studies are showing income tax hinders your growth the most of all taxes.

I really appreciate your being here and I have enjoyed hearing your success stories. They all center on a business friendly environment, lower taxes, lower regulation, good logistics.

Well, I appreciate your comments, Professor Porter.

Thank you Chairman Rice for this opportunity to appear before your subcommittee.

We hear on this Committee a lot about the amount of red tape and bureaucracy that hurts small businesses from developing, from growing, and I really want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to reduce or eliminate it.

So just so I can be crystal clear about this, if somebody elects to participate in the H-2B program, then the Department of Labor sets the wage rate they have to pay.

The simple fact of the matter is we do not have the number of American workers to fill those jobs during the peak season, and we simply have to utilize the H-2B visa program.

Utilizing the H-2B program is a time-consuming and costly process which involves several agencies.

Employers that cannot find American workers to fill these seasonal jobs rely on H-2B visa programs to supplement their local workforce.

Our small businesses in the tourism industry need to significantly increase their workforce during peak seasons.

The families of anyone who perishes while wearing the uniform--whether on an IDT status or active duty status--deserves to have their survivor benefits calculated with consistency and equity.

We have got to get ourselves out of the way and get these infrastructure projects built

I think we are feeling a little bit in that regard not because of your efforts but because of ours, and infrastructure is the key to that.