I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2526
To create a Creative Revenues Commission, to facilitate the reform of the
Federal tax system, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 24, 1995
Mr. OWENS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To create a Creative Revenues Commission, to facilitate the
reform of the Federal tax system, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Creative Revenues Act
of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) in 1943, corporations carried almost 40 per-
cent of the Federal tax burden while individuals car-
ried 27 percent;
(2) in 1995, corporations carry only 11.2 per-
cent of the Federal tax burden while individuals
carry 43.7 percent;
(3) despite this imbalance, corporations are
generating large profits while they streamline and
downsize at the expense of at least 500,000 Amer-
ican jobs each year;
(4) many proposals have been offered to reform
the Federal tax system, including a national sales
tax, a flat tax, a value-added tax, and a tax system
exempting savings from taxation;
(5) these proposals have merit and deserve to
be examined;
(6) nonetheless, none of these proposals address
the fact that the Nation’s tax burden has shifted
dramatically over the past 5 decades from the shoul-
ders of corporate America to the backs of American
workers;
(7) ways to correct this imbalance must be de-
veloped and implemented;
(8) for the first time in American history, me-
dian wages of full-time male workers have fallen for
more than 2 decades, therefore making it necessary
to reduce taxes on wages; and for the first time in
American history, a majority of workers have suf-
fered real wage reductions while the per capita do-
mestic product has advanced;
(9) technology advances have created impor-
tant, potential new revenue sources, such as selling
or leasing the radiofrequency spectrum, which must
be thoroughly explored; and
(10) laws related to the sale of publicly owned
assets, such as land for mining, grazing, or other
purposes, also must be thoroughly explored.
SEC. 3. REVENUE REFORM.
(a) IMPLEMENTATION
BY SECRETARY
OF REGU-
LATORY REFORMS.—The Secretary of the Treasury shall
implement all revenue raising measures which—
(1) are recommended by the Creative Revenues
Commission in the report transmitted to the Sec-
retary under section 5(c)(1), and
(2) may be implemented under the regulatory
authority of the Secretary.
The Secretary shall complete the implementation of all
such measures not later than September 30, 2002, except
that no such measure may be initiated before January 1,
1999. Implementation of any revenue raising measures
under this section shall include disseminating information
about such revenue raising measures to the public.
(b) IMPLEMENTATION
OF NON-REGULATORY RE-
FORMS.—Legislation to implement the measures which
are recommended by the Commission in the report trans-
mitted under section 5(c)(1) and which may not be imple-
mented under the regulatory authority of the Secretary
shall be introduced and considered as provided in sections
9 and 10.
SEC. 4. CONDITIONS FOR REGULATORY REFORM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may not carry out
any revenue raising measure under this Act unless—
(1) not later than January 14, 1998, the Sec-
retary transmits to the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Finance of the Senate a report con-
taining a statement that the Secretary has approved
and will implement all of the revenue raising meas-
ures which are recommended by the Commission in
the report transmitted under section 5(c)(1) and
which may be implemented under the regulatory au-
thority of the Secretary; and
(2) the Commission has recommended, in the
report transmitted under section 5(c)(1), the reve-
nue raising measure and has transmitted to the
Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Finance of
the Senate a copy of such report and the statement
required by section 5(c)(2).
(b) JOINT RESOLUTION.—The Secretary may not im-
plement any revenue raising measure recommended by the
Commission in the report transmitted under section
5(c)(1) if, within the 45-day period beginning on March
1, 1998, a joint resolution is enacted, in accordance with
the provisions of sections 8 and 10, disapproving the rec-
ommendations of the Commission. The days on which ei-
ther House of Congress is not in session because of an
adjournment of more than 3 days to a day certain shall
be excluded in the computation of such 45-day period.
SEC. 5. CREATIVE REVENUES COMMISSION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Sec-
retary of the Treasury’s Creative Revenues Commission.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall consist of
11 members, appointed by the Secretary of Treasury, who
have broad experience in Government and in tax and reve-
nue issues. The Secretary shall designate 2 Chairpersons
from among the members of the Commission. The Sec-
retary shall appoint the members of the Commission not
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(c) DUTIES.—
(1) REPORT.—The Commission shall transmit
to the Secretary, not later than December 31, 1997,
a report containing a description of—
(A) all revenue raising measures which the
Commission considered;
(B) the revenue raising measures which
the Commission recommends;
(C) the rationale of the Commission for
such recommendations; and
(D) the manner in which such rec-
ommendations, in the aggregate, if imple-
mented, would balance the Federal tax burden
equally between corporations and individuals.
(2) 
TRANSMISSION
TO
COMMITTEES.—The
Commission shall, on the same date on which the
Commission transmits the report to the Secretary
under subparagraph (A), transmit to the Committee
on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Finance of the Senate—
(A) a copy of such report; and
(B) a statement certifying that the Com-
mission has identified the revenue raising meas-
ures to be implemented by reviewing—
(i) various forms of taxation that exist
in different countries;
(ii) other possible ways for the Fed-
eral Government to raise revenue; and
(iii) possible ways to balance the Fed-
eral tax burden equally between corpora-
tions and individuals.
(d) ADMINISTRATION.—
(1) Members of the Commission shall serve
without compensation for their work on the Commis-
sion, except that members who are not employees of
the United States (determined without regard to
service on the Commission) may be allowed travel
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
as authorized under section 5703 of title 5, United
States Code, for persons serving intermittently in
the Government service, to the full extent funds are
available (subject to appropriations).
(2) The Secretary shall provide the Commission
with such administrative services, facilities, staff,
and other support services as may be necessary.
Subject to appropriations, any expenses of the Com-
mission shall be paid from such funds as may be
available to the Secretary.
(3) Not more than one-half of the professional
staff of the Commission shall be individuals who
have been employed by the Department of the
Treasury during calendar year 1997 in any capacity
other than as an employee of the Commission.
(4) The Commission shall be in place and oper-
ating as soon as possible, shortly after which time
the Commission shall brief the Secretary on the
Commission’s plan of action.
(5) The report transmitted under subsection
(c)(1) shall include a recommendation for a revenue
raising measure only if such recommendation is ap-
proved by a vote of a majority of the members of the
Commission.
SEC. 6. REPORTS.
As part of each annual budget request for the De-
partment of the Treasury, the Secretary shall transmit to
the appropriate committees of the Congress—
(1) a schedule of the revenue raising measures
to be implemented under this Act in the fiscal year
for which the request is made;
(2) an estimate of the total expenditures re-
quired by each such revenue raising measure;
(3) an estimate of the Federal Government cost
savings to be achieved, or cost increases to be gen-
erated, by each such revenue raising measure and of
the time period in which such savings or increases
are to be achieved or generated; and
(4) an estimate of the amounts of the increases
or decreases, in the amounts of Federal tax paid by
individual and corporate taxpayers of various in-
comes, to be generated or achieved by each such rev-
enue raising measure and of the time period in
which such increases or decreases are to be gen-
erated or achieved.
SEC. 7. FUNDING.
(a) ACCOUNT.—There is hereby established in the
Treasury of the United States an account to be known
as the ‘‘Department of the Treasury Revenue Reform Ac-
count’’, which shall be administered by the Secretary as
a single account.
(b) AMOUNTS DEPOSITED INTO ACCOUNT.—There
shall be deposited into the Account—
(1) funds authorized for and appropriated to
the Account with respect to fiscal year 1999 and fis-
cal years beginning thereafter; and
(2) any funds that the Secretary may, subject
to approval in an appropriation Act, transfer to the
Account from funds appropriated to the Department
of the Treasury for any purpose, except that such
funds may be transferred only after the date on
which the Secretary transmits written notice of, and
justification for, such transfer to the appropriate
committees of the Congress.
(c) USE OF ACCOUNT FUNDS.—The Secretary may
use the funds in the Account only for the purposes of im-
plementing revenue raising measures under this Act.
(d) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 60 days after
the end of each fiscal year in which the Secretary carries
out activities under this Act, the Secretary shall transmit
a report to the appropriate committees of Congress of the
amount and nature of the deposits into, and the expendi-
tures from, the Account during such fiscal year and of
the amount and nature of other expenditures made by the
Secretary pursuant to implementation of revenue raising
measures under this Act during such fiscal year.
(e) TRANSFER OF UNOBLIGATED FUNDS.—Unobli-
gated funds which remain in the Account after September
30, 2002, shall be held in the Account until transferred
by law after the appropriate committees of the Congress
receive the report transmitted under subsection (f).
(f) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than November 30,
2002, the Secretary shall transmit to the appropriate com-
mittees of the Congress a report containing an accounting
of—
(1) all of the funds deposited into and expended
from the Account or otherwise expended by the Sec-
retary under this Act; and
(2) any amount remaining in the Account.
SEC. 
8. 
CONGRESSIONAL 
CONSIDERATION 
OF 
REGU-
LATORY REFORMS RECOMMENDED IN COM-
MISSION REPORT.
(a) TERMS OF RESOLUTION.—For purposes of sec-
tion 4(b), the term ‘‘joint resolution’’ means only a joint
resolution which is introduced before March 15, 1998,
and—
(1) which does not have a preamble;
(2) the matter after the resolving clause of
which is as follows: ‘‘That Congress disapproves the
recommendations of the Creative Revenues Commis-
sion established by the Secretary of the Treasury as
submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury on
llll’’, the blank space being appropriately
filled in; and
(3) the title of which is as follows: ‘‘Joint reso-
lution disapproving the recommendations of the Cre-
ative Revenues Commission.’’.
(b) REFERRAL.—A resolution described in subsection
(a) and introduced in the House of Representatives shall
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means of the
House. A resolution described in subsection (a) and intro-
duced in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee
on Finance of the Senate.
SEC. 9. CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF NON-REGU-
LATORY REFORMS RECOMMENDED IN COM-
MISSION REPORT.
(a) INTRODUCTION.—Not later than March 14, 1998,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President pro tempore of the Senate shall introduce, in
their respective houses, legislation to implement the meas-
ures which are recommended in the report transmitted
under section 5(c)(1) and which may not be implemented
by regulatory action.
(b) REFERRAL.—Legislation described in subsection
(a) and introduced in the House of Representatives shall
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means of the
House. Legislation described in subsection (a) and intro-
duced in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee
on Finance of the Senate.
SEC. 10. PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION.
(a) DISCHARGE.—If the committee to which reform
legislation is referred has not reported such reform legisla-
tion (or identical legislation) before March 15, 1998, such
committee shall be, as of March 15, 1998, discharged from
further consideration of such reform legislation, and such
reform legislation shall be placed on the appropriate cal-
endar of the House involved.
(b) CONSIDERATION.—
(1) On or after the third day after the date on
which the committee to which such reform legisla-
tion is referred has reported, or has been discharged
(under subsection (a)) from further consideration of,
such reform legislation, it is in order (even though
a previous motion to the same effect has been dis-
agreed to) for any Member of the respective House
to move to proceed to the consideration of such re-
form legislation (but only on the day after the cal-
endar day on which such Member announces to the
House concerned the Member’s intention to do so).
All points of order against such reform legislation
(and against consideration of such reform legisla-
tion) are waived. The motion is highly privileged in
the House of Representatives and is privileged in the
Senate and is not debatable. The motion is not sub-
ject to amendment, or to a motion to postpone, or
to a motion to proceed to the consideration of other
business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which
the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be
in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration
of such reform legislation is agreed to, the respective
House shall immediately proceed to consideration of
such reform legislation without intervening motion,
order, or other business, and such reform legislation
shall remain the unfinished business of the respec-
tive House until disposed of.
(2) Debate on such reform legislation, and on
all debatable motions and appeals in connection
therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10
hours, which shall be divided equally between those
favoring and those opposing such reform legislation.
An amendment to such reform legislation is not in
order. A motion further to limit debate is in order
and not debatable. A motion to postpone, or a mo-
tion to proceed to the consideration of other busi-
ness, or a motion to recommit such reform legisla-
tion is not in order. A motion to reconsider the vote
by which such reform legislation is agreed to or dis-
agreed to is not in order.
(3) Immediately following the conclusion of the
debate on such reform legislation, and a single
quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if re-
quested in accordance with the rules of the appro-
priate House, the vote on final passage of such re-
form legislation shall occur.
(4) Appeals from the decisions of the Chair re-
lating to the application of the rules of the Senate
or the House of Representatives, as the case may be,
to the procedure relating to such reform legislation
shall be decided without debate.
(c) CONSIDERATION BY OTHER HOUSE.—
(1) If, before the passage by one House of re-
form legislation, that House receives from the other
House such a reform legislation, then the following
procedures shall apply:
(A) Such reform legislation of the other
House shall not be referred to a committee and
may not be considered in the House receiving it
except in the case of final passage as provided
in subparagraph (B)(ii).
(B) With respect to such reform legislation
of the House receiving the reform legislation—
(i) the procedure in that House shall
be the same as if such reform legislation
had not been received from the other
House; but
(ii) the vote on final passage shall be
on such reform legislation of the other
House.
(2) Upon disposition of the reform legislation
received from the other House, it shall no longer be
in order to consider such reform legislation that
originated in the receiving House.
(d) RULES OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE.—This sec-
tion, and sections 8 and 9, are enacted by the Congress—
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of
the Senate and House of Representatives, respec-
tively, and as such are deemed a part of the rules
of each House, respectively, but are applicable only
with respect to the procedure to be followed in that
House in the case of a reform legislation, and super-
sede other rules only to the extent inconsistent with
such rules; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional
right of either House to change the rules (so far as
relating to the procedure of that House) at any time
in the same manner, and to the same extent, as in
the case of any other rule of that House.
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) ACCOUNT.—The term ‘‘Account’’ means the
Department of the Treasury Revenue Reform Ac-
count established by section 7(a).
(2) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means the Committee on Ways and Means of
the House, the Committee on Finance of the Senate,
and the Committees on Appropriations of the House
and Senate.
(3) CREATIVE REVENUES COMMISSION; COMMIS-
SION.—The terms ‘‘Creative Revenues Commission’’
and ‘‘Commission’’ mean the Secretary of the Treas-
ury’s Creative Revenues Commission established by
section 5.
(4) REFORM LEGISLATION.—The term ‘‘reform
legislation’’ means a resolution described in section
8(a) or legislation described in section 9(a).
(5) REVENUE
RAISING
MEASURE.—The term
‘‘revenue raising measure’’ means a proposal to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, a pro-
posal to implement a regulatory change to enforce-
ment or interpretation of such Code, or any other
proposal to raise revenue for the Federal Govern-
ment.
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Treasury.
Æ
HR 2526 IH——2