Thomas Foley: “let us clarify what this debate is about. We are not changing the Tax Code overnight, but for those who come to the…”

“let us clarify what this debate is about. We are not changing the Tax Code overnight, but for those who come to the floor and defend this and defend this number of books, I urge the Members who defend this to go ahead and sit down and try and figure out their own taxes. If Members of Congress were required to do their own income taxes every year, they would realize the severity by which we have inflicted pain on the American public. I also heard today that this is about politics, today's vote is about politics. What do we think represents every page in this book? About politics, about adding amendments. Now, I did not hear the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Largent) or anyone else defending the Republicans who added amendments. He did not say that, nor do I. I suggest both parties are responsible for the promulgation of these rules, regulations, amendments, addendums that require every average American citizen to hire expensive accountants in order to just comply with the law. Money Magazine challenged 50 tax preparers to prepare the return for an average family of 4, the same return. Forty-eight failed to get the same answer. Only 2 were successful in completing the equation. Now, that should speak volumes, as the books do, about the complexity of the code. Every law we pass in Florida now has a sunset provision. That is a normal, standard operating procedure, because laws do not exist forever.”