Political Quotes

“this House must reform the IRS. The outrageous recently released GAO report documents that the IRS unfairly singles out taxpayers in the South for random audits. The GAO reports that 47 percent of the random tax audits during the past 3 years were in 11 Southern states that represent only 29 percent of the population. More than 85 percent of those audits had incomes of less than $25,000, many of whom depend upon the Earned Income Tax Credit for our working poor. Why should an individual be three times more likely to be audited in North Carolina than in the State of Massachusetts? North Carolinians are honest people. Why should they be subjected to this kind of treatment? As a former small businessman and a Southern taxpayer, I am outraged at this report and call for immediate action to reform the IRS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues on the Democratic side and those on the Republican side in passing IRS reform last year. The findings of that report provide some clear examples of why our esteemed colleagues in the other body should quit dragging their feet and join the House in passing reform.”