hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : I thank the gentleman for bringing up some great points. Mr. Speaker, I want to very quickly go over a couple of myths, if you will. I know you find it hard to believe, but there are some myths out there about the FairTax Act. First of all, the myth is that the FairTax Act rate is really 30 percent, not 23 percent. I agree. Twenty-three percent is too high. We wish it could be lower, but it is not 30 percent. Our current income tax as expressed is an inclusive tax. When directly comparing the FairTax Act to our current income tax, the FairTax Act rate is 23 percent. Under the FairTax Act, if you would pay $100--this is simple math, now--if you pay $100 for a good, $77 goes for the good, and there is an inclusive $23 tax. If you take the $23 as a percentage of the $100, Mr. Speaker, then the tax rate is 23 percent. Unfortunately, opponents of the FairTax Act--unbelievably there are some out there--typically speak about the FairTax Act in terms of an exclusive tax simply because the rate sounds higher to consumers. It is 23 percent. It is simple math: 23 percent. Not only do opponents of the FairTax Act fail to admit that the exclusive and inclusive rates have consumers paying the same amount of money, but they also compared the exclusive FairTax Act rate to the inclusive income tax rate. That is unfair, and that is misleading. That is a myth. It is 23 percent. Again, I get it. I know that is too high. I wish it would be lower, but it is not 30 percent. It is 23 percent. The only other thing I want to mention at this point is the myth that the FairTax Act--and we mentioned this earlier--would hurt the poor and give the rich a huge tax cut. Baloney. The FairTax Act is the only progressive tax reform bill currently pending before Congress. Each household, as I mentioned earlier, will receive a monthly prebate based on Federal poverty levels and household size that will allow families to purchase necessary goods such as food, shelter, and medicine essentially tax-free--zero percent. This is similar to our current individual exemption and refundable tax credit system. It is essentially the same thing, but it is far simpler. Further, the FairTax Act is not riddled with shelters and loopholes, meaning wealthy taxpayers cannot minimize what they pay in taxes regardless of how many lawyers and accountants they hire to advise them. It is simple, it is fair, and it is preferred. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins). Representative  Mike Collins is a great new member of our delegation who certainly knows a thing or two about taxes, having been in business for many years himself.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. COLLINS: I thank Mr. Carter for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as someone who represents the great University of Georgia, it is nice to see him pick up the football and run with this thing. My friend is also right. I have spent my private life, over 30- plus years, in one of the most regulated and taxed industries that there are in this country. So, yes, it is very near and dear to my heart. I want to thank the gentleman also for leading on a Georgia original bill which originated with Congressman John Linder. The IRS was weaponized early on in the Obama administration, and the only thing that came out of that, the result of that, was Lois Lerner being found in contempt of Congress, and then we saw the issue go away. Now the Biden administration, with the addition of 87,000 IRS agents, has a new target: the middle class and small businesses.  It is time for a new tax system that works for all Americans. So today I rise in support of H.R. 25, the FairTax Act. Our tax system is in desperate need of reform, and this bill will let Americans keep their hard-earned paychecks and get rid of the IRS. The FairTax Act will eliminate payroll and income taxes and greatly reduce compliance costs on small businesses by replacing all of these with a consumption tax on new goods and services. The current tax system is purposely complicated, burdensome, and confusing so only the well-navigated can navigate the loopholes. So why wouldn't we want to make it simpler and more understandable so small businesses and workers can thrive? From my first day in Congress, I have been focused on making the Federal Government more transparent and accountable to the American taxpayer. The FairTax Act does just that. Every time Americans buy a product or service, they will know exactly how much they will pay in taxes and will be able to factor that into their decisions. There will be no more complex and expensive end-of-the-year Federal tax filings. The only way big legislation is passed in this town is when the American people demand it. The way we get them on board is we need to hold hearings across this country to explain the ideas and the details of the FairTax Act. We need to discuss and debate the bill publicly so that the Americans can consider this proposal. Once they hear about it though, I am confident that they will support the concept of the FairTax Act. Let's get to work.  {time}  1815
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : again, here you have a businessowner. He knows all about taxes. When he talks about a business that is one of the most regulated in the country, he and our previous speaker, Representative Clyde, boy, you talk about regulated businesses, both of them have regulated businesses. Both of them understand firsthand and have personal experience, real-life experience, about the IRS and taxes. I will address one more myth here, the myth that the FairTax Act will unfairly punish senior citizens living off their retirement income. Unfairly punish senior citizens living off of their retirement income? Wrong. Retired individuals living on fixed incomes will benefit from the FairTax Act, just like all other Americans will benefit. The new system will eliminate the current income tax on Social Security benefits. Have you looked at your Social Security check lately? It is not what it started out at because they take out taxes on it. It will also eliminate the income taxes on investment income, something a lot of retirees have and depend on. It eliminates taxes on pensions, benefits, and individual retirement account, IRA, withdrawals. It eliminates all of that, so don't tell me it is going to punish retirees. It is going to do just the opposite. The monthly prebate will offset the taxes paid by seniors on essential goods. I hear this: Old people aren't going to be able to afford groceries, and they are not going to be able to afford shelter. Wrong. They will be able to afford it. That is what the prebate is about. Essentially, up to $30,000 a year for a family of four, your essential tax rate is going to be zero, nil. Again, senior citizens living off of their retirement income, after the initial implementation of the FairTax Act, if prices increase, penny for penny, seniors will receive additional Social Security benefits until prices return to or below pre-FairTax Act levels. This is simple. It is fair. It is preferred. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Moore), who certainly understands a thing or two about taxes. He has paid enough taxes in his life, I am sure.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. MOORE : today, I rise to express my support for making tax day a thing of the past. Our current tax code is four times as long as the King James Bible but contains none of the good news. Last Congress, Pelosi and the Democrats made it their mission to hire 87,000 new IRS agents. Furthermore, Biden's budget calls for the highest level of taxation in American history, with $4.7 trillion in new taxes. A recent analysis by the Tax Foundation found that Biden's $4.7 trillion tax hike on workers, families, farmers, and small businesses would destroy over 300,000 American jobs, cut workers' wages by 1 percent, and reduce American economic growth by 1.3 percent.  President Biden and the Democrats want every day to be tax day, but today, I introduced legislation that would abolish the 16th Amendment. I am also a proud supporter of the FairTax Act. The FairTax Act would eliminate all personal and corporate income taxes, abolish the death tax, eliminate gift and payroll taxes, repeal the tax code, replace it with a single national consumption tax, and, my favorite part, it would abolish the IRS. This is the gold standard for tax law and would turn the convoluted, abusive, and biased system into a straightforward code that works for every American. Instead of inflating our already-bloated bureaucracy and continuing to punish those who work hard to succeed, Americans deserve a system that works for them. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Buddy Carter for his work on this legislation.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : one more myth: The FairTax Act will make new homes too expensive, and it will eliminate incentives like the mortgage interest rate deduction. I hear this all the time. Again, wrong. Under the current system, every time a new home is purchased, a home buyer is paying an increased price that results from embedded costs. See, that is what people don't understand. Taxes are embedded. They are embedded in the prices that you are paying right now. Under the FairTax Act, when you buy a new home, these embedded costs are eliminated, meaning the cost for consumers can fall relative to the price of home construction and compliance costs. Additionally, under the FairTax Act, mortgage interest rates are expected to drop as interest income falls toward the tax-free bond rate. Mortgage interest rates are expected to fall under the FairTax Act. Wow. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good), a great advocate of tax reform.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : did you hear what he just said? Unleash American growth. Unleash American growth. Wow. What great words. Mr. Speaker, the bottom line: Our current tax system is broken. It is broken, and it is oppressive. The FairTax Act allows Americans to keep 100 percent of their paycheck, of their hard-earned paycheck, and it ends the IRS headache. A family of four earning $30,000 a year is going to pay zero, not one penny, in taxes. Further, this bill will save small businesses hundreds of billions of dollars a year in compliance costs, making it easier to start and grow a business here in America--we need that; we need more small businesses--by capturing the underground economy. Almost every speaker has talked about this. We are going to be capturing the underground economy--tourism dollars, purchases made by illegal immigrants. This bill will save Social Security while leaving more money in the hands of the American people and revolutionizing our economy. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Santos), the latest sponsor of the FairTax bill.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. SANTOS: the American people need tax relief, and I rise today to share my unapologetic support for the FairTax Act. Taxes continue to skyrocket in States like New York. Many of my constituents pay nearly $50,000 in local taxes. Of that amount, $10,000 can be deducted from gross income. The rest gets taxed twice. I have introduced two bills regarding tax deductions: H.R. 1260, the SALTRelief Act, and H.R. 2634, the Alimony Relief Act. Both of my bills seek additional deductions for taxpayers forced to submit to government-directed payments. Regarding alimony, I hope to repeal the section of law within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that places the tax liability of government- mandated payments on the person who makes the payment and not the payee. Why should the person earning the money but not spending it pay the tax liability? Mr. Carter's FairTax Act ensures that we pay taxes on what we buy rather than on what we earn. It would make both of my bills unnecessary. The hours spent every year doing tax returns wouldn't be necessary, and Americans would have more time to spend with their families. I hope we can make real progress on the FairTax Act, but in the meantime, I would welcome my colleagues to support my efforts. I look forward to the day when a simpler tax code is afforded to all of our constituents.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : I thank the gentleman for his very insightful comments. I appreciate that very much. I thank all of my colleagues for their support and for speaking in favor of America's favorite tax proposal. Yes, it has been around. It has been around for quite a while now, but its time has come. This bill, in fact, was first proposed by Representative John Linder, a member of the Georgia delegation whose chief of staff,  Rob Woodall, took over the bill when he was elected to Congress, another Georgian. When Rob retired, he asked me if I would take over this legislation, and I was honored to do so because I made a commitment when I became a Member of Congress that this would be the first bill I would cosponsor as a Member of Congress, and it was. It has been ever since I have been a Member of Congress. Cosponsoring this bill was my first act as a Member of Congress, and I am eager to see this landmark bill finally get the attention and legislative action it deserves. It is fair; it is simple; it is preferred. You are in control. You decide how much you want to pay in taxes, not some unelected bureaucrat, not some Member of Congress who decides they need a loophole or a tax break for something. No, you are going to decide. You are going to decide what you are going to pay taxes on and what you are not going to pay taxes on. Again, as I started out tonight, today could be the last tax day our country ever sees. Let that sink in. Today could be the last tax day our country ever sees. All we have to do is adopt the FairTax Act, a consumption tax. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1790] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. COURTNEY: as the Congressman from eastern Connecticut, it is a proud moment for me to congratulate the UConn men's basketball team for winning this year's NCAA national championship on April 4, just a couple weeks ago. Mr. Speaker, the UConn men starting out in this season back in November were not even ranked in any of the leading polls. Yet, despite that negativity, they tuned it out and really came together as a team led by a great coach, Danny Hurley. By the time they got to the NCAA playoffs, their average margin of victory was over 15 points per game. It is a record in terms of NCAA championships in the past, and a great testament to a group of young men who are now going to go on and do greater things, whether it is in the NBA or next year's college basketball season. It is a great program. This is their fifth title since 1999. The women's team has won 11 titles. It is truly easy, I think without exaggeration, to say that I represent the basketball capital of the world for college basketball: Storrs, Connecticut.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1790] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GAETZ: I rise to vindicate the most American of values, and that is work. When John Smith landed at Jamestown, he said: ``He who does not work, neither shall he eat.'' We have drifted far away from that, creating a social safety net that has been converted into a multigenerational hammock for far too many Americans. As we reach America's credit card limit, I am proud to stand with my many House Republican colleagues who believe there should be no increase in this debt limit absent rigorous work requirements. If you could see President Clinton and Newt Gingrich coming together for work requirements in the 1990s, there is no reason we cannot do that in divided government now to cut spending where it is wasteful and to grow this economy where it is necessary.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1790] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. PETERS: the recent court decision on medication abortion is the clearest example yet of the horrific consequences of the Republicans' anti-abortion crusade. While many said a national ban was not the goal and that this would be a States' issue, abortion care could be restricted even in pro-choice States. Mr. Speaker, that begs the question: What is next? Birth control? Plan B? Will anti-vaxxers ask the courts to take down lifesaving vaccines? Will extremists litigate any drug that utilized stem cell research? San Diego is home to some of the most innovative biomedical companies in the world, and so many of these companies have come out to oppose this decision, to say that the ruling threatens their ability to create the cures of tomorrow. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are uncharacteristically quiet about this. They let this genie out of the bottle. They need to find the political courage to put it back in.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1790] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : I rise today to recognize Martha Zoller, who was recently named TALKERS magazine's 2023 Woman of the Year. Ms. Zoller has been known as a well-respected conservative voice in talk radio since the start of her career in 1994. Ever since then, she has kept people across the State of Georgia and the Nation informed on the news and the state of American politics with her radio broadcasts. In addition to her time in radio, Ms. Zoller has served in the political world, as well. She spent time as the State director for field offices for Governor Brian Kemp, and she was a senior staffer for Senator David Perdue from 2014 to 2018. Ms. Zoller's career in both radio and politics, while also being a mother and grandmother, is a testament to her character and commitment to both her family and her community. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Ms. Zoller again for being named TALKERS' 2023 Woman of the Year.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1789-H1790] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. DAVIS : I rise to discuss a topic important to the people of North Carolina's First Congressional District: addressing access to healthcare. April is Medicaid Awareness Month, and I was honored to kick it off with my fellow State Medicaid Expansion Caucus co-chairs and Protect Our Care. North Carolina has passed critical legislation that Governor Roy Cooper has signed into law, creating a pathway to expanding Medicaid in our State, showing the significance and power of bipartisanship. Mr. Speaker, nearly 100,000 eastern North Carolinians would have access to healthcare that would come as a result. There would be a creation of roughly 3,000 jobs in one of the most economically distressed parts of the State while saving our rural hospitals. Mr. Speaker, nearly 2 million Americans remain trapped in a coverage gap. Medicaid Awareness Month is the perfect time to make a bipartisan appeal.Let us work together to close that gap so that the greater good of Americans will benefit.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1789] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. PAYNE: I rise to condemn the decision to shut down the last Washington, D.C.-based bureau for New Jersey media. In March, NJ Advance Media closed its Washington news bureau forever. It was the last Washington news bureau to focus on New Jersey-related content. This closure robs New Jersey readers of critical political information, and it undermines the media outlet's responsibility to keep its readers informed. Now, New Jersey readers will not know how congressional funding benefits their communities, and they will not know how they will be affected by legislation and possible political corruption. The bureau had one reporter, the excellent Jonathan Salant, so it was a cost-effective way to provide this information. Instead, NJAM betrayed the very purpose of a news outlet to increase the bottom line. I hope NJAM will reopen this bureau soon and provide effective coverage of national politics to its New Jersey readers.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1789] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. LAWLER: today, I rise to recognize Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, we honor and remember those who suffered and lost their lives in one of the darkest moments in human history, the Holocaust. Yom HaShoah is a day of remembrance, a day to pay tribute to the millions of innocent men, women, and children who were brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, a day to reflect on those atrocities, and a day to commit ourselves to never forgetting or ever letting this happen again. Over 6 million Jews were killed. Earlier today, I joined a number of my congressional colleagues at a ceremony recognizing this somber day. We were joined by Holocaust survivors and descendants who shared their stories and experiences, which were heartbreaking. As we light candles and say prayers today and this week in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, let us also renew our commitment to building a world that honors survivors, respects all faiths, and ensures that this never happens again.