Gerald Kleczka: “Mr. Speaker, I have been in Congress a couple of years now, and I fought like the devil to get on the Committee on Ways…”

“Mr. Speaker, I have been in Congress a couple of years now, and I fought like the devil to get on the Committee on Ways and Means because I wanted to be in a position so I could hopefully shape the tax laws of this country. The committee also deals with Social Security, trade policy, Medicare, but it seems that service on the committee is to be taken for granted today because bills like this just pop up out of nowhere. This bill was introduced yesterday. So for you folks who are watching this thinking that Members have public hearings on bills, read bills, that is nonsense. It was popped in yesterday, we have to come to the floor today to defend it or to argue against it. As I speak today, the Committee on Ways and Means, the real committee, is meeting across the road here in the Longworth Office Building and before us is a proposal to incept a national sales tax, to pull the tax code out by its roots, throw it away in the garbage can and in lieu you folks will pay a 30 percent sales tax on every good and service that you need or purchase.”