The tax reform train has left the station, and many on Capitol Hill as well as national organizations need to be engaged in the discussion or they will be left behind! Last week, AFFT Chairman & President Steve Hayes and I met with members of Congress as well as with national organizations to discuss the direction of tax reform.
Welcoming new House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady
As a native Texan, I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the new House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady. My cousin Patti Graham lives in the Chairman’s district, the Woodlands, and spoke very highly of his fairness and intelligence on the issues, after she heard him speak at the Economic Outlook Conference. Indeed, last week when the Chairman arrived in his office, he immediately greeted Steve Hayes and me, and I shared what my cousin had said. He was very gracious and sociable, as we discussed where I had lived in the Houston area many years ago.
Then, the discussion turned to where he thought tax reform would go. He explained to Steve and me that he would hold hearings in the Ways & Means Committee on tax reform in 2016, paving the way for comprehensive tax reform in 2017. Also, with all of the Republican presidential candidates promoting some form of tax reform, then it was likely that the Republican nominee would promote his or her plan during the campaign, thereby adding pressure for the Democratic nominee to also discuss the issue.
Along with the picture above that his staff took of Chairman Brady, me and Steve, the following text was also posted on his Facebook page, just hours after our meeting:
Met with the team from Americans for Fair Taxation this morning. I’m proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R.25 — FairTax Act of 2015. #FAIRtax
In addition, we met with Aindriu Colgan, his Legislative Director, and discussed possible members of the Ways & Means Committee that we could educate about the FAIRtax, especially the new Committee members.
MEETINGS WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS
It is important to keep in touch with our strategic partners on Capitol Hill! We met with Congressman Rob Woodall (GA-7), FAIRtax Sponsor, to strategize on ideas to move the tax reform message along in 2016, and to update him on our meeting with Chairman Brady. His Tax Legislative Assistant Alex Poirot also joined us for this meeting. Pictured below are Congressman Woodall, me and Steve.
We also met with Congressman Jim Bridenstine (OK-1), a FAIRtax CoSponsor, and his Tax Legislative Assistant Sheryl Kaufman to discuss his assistance with the House Freedom Caucus, since he is a member. With 20 of their 37 members already FAIRtax CoSponsors, the Fair Tax Act appears to be legislation that the rest of their members would likely embrace. In addition, we updated him on our meeting with Chairman Brady. Pictured below are Congressman Bridenstine, Steve and me.
SURPRISE — New CoSponsor!!
We want to send a warm welcome to Congressman Cresent Hardy (NV-4) for officially becoming a Fair Tax Act CoSponsor on November 30th!! What a pleasant surprise last week when I was looking at our CoSponsor list on the congress.gov website, and saw that we had a new CoSponsor. Thanks go to our Nevada FAIRtaxers who educated him about H.R.25!!!
Congressman Hardy serves on the following House committees: Committee on Small Business, where he is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations; Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, where he is Vice-Chairman of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit; and Committee on Natural Resources.
Thank you, Congressman Hardy, for becoming our 81st member of Congress to support the Fair Tax Act!
OTHER CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS
We met with Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-7) and his Tax Legislative Assistant Ryan Farrell to update them on tax evasion projections as well as to discuss our meeting with House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Brady. Pictured below are Steve, me and Congressman Lance.
Other congressional office meetings were as follows:
- Tax Legislative Assistant Beth Bell with the office of Senator Ben Cardin (MD; member of Senate Finance Committee: Co-Chair, Business Income Tax Working Group; member of Health Care Subcommittee; member of Taxation & IRS Oversight Committee)
- Economic Director Doug Centilli, Joint Economic Committee
- Legislative Director Jared Dilley with the office of Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-4; House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where he serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation & Regulatory Affairs; also Chairman, House Freedom Caucus). We were scheduled to meet with Congressman Jordan, but he had to go to the House floor for a roll call vote.
- Legislative Director Whitney Daffner with the office of Congressman Pat Tiberi (OH-12; House Ways & Means Committee: Chairman, Subcommittee on Health; former Chairman, Subcommittee on Trade; member, Subcommittee on Tax Policy; also serves as Vice-Chairman, Joint Economic Committee)
- Tax Legislative Assistant Alyssa Wootton with the office of Congressman Curt Clawson (FL-19; member of Committees on Foreign Affairs as well as Homeland Security). Thanks go to our Florida FAIRtax State Director Mark Gupton for his efforts with Congressman Clawson’s staff!!
EDUCATING & BUILDING COALITIONS
In addition to building support on Capitol Hill, I also continue to focus my efforts on educating national organizations and building FAIRtax coalitions. On this trip, we met with the National Association of Home Builders and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
National Association of Home Builders
In September, I met with the National Association of Home Builders’ Robert Dietz, Ph.D., Vice President of Tax & Market Analysis, and J.P. Delmore, Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs. As I mentioned in my previous report, I had worked on national housing policy for 15 years, and it was great to return to these policy discussions. However, for the follow up meeting last week, I invited Steve Hayes and David Burton, Senior Fellow at Heritage Foundation and also co-author of the Fair Tax Act, to join me. (David gave a disclaimer that Heritage had not endorsed a specific tax reform plan, and that he was attending the meeting as the author of the FAIRtax bill.)
During our hour and a half meeting, the discussion centered around the following tax treatment issues: mortgage interest; new homes vs existing homes; remodeling; rent; and the low income housing tax credit. Rob and J.P. recognize that tax reform is on the table, and they want to be part of the discussion. At the end of the meeting, an offer was made for Steve Hayes to be a speaker at a summer 2016 NAHB meeting. Pictured below are from left to right: David; Steve; me; Rob; and J.P.
International Association of Fire Fighters
Also, last week we met with Barry Kasinitz, Director of Government Affairs for the International Association of Fire Fighters. Steve and I were joined by AFFT Board of Directors member Autry Pruitt, who was in town on other business. Since it had been many years since Barry had read the Fair Tax Act, Steve gave him on update on H.R.25, and why current tax evasion projections were gaining the interest of many on Capitol Hill. Also, with the repatriation of trillions of dollars offshore back to the U.S., the economic boom and job creation would increase revenue to municipalities. Finally, the FAIRtax benefits for IAFF members were discussed. At the end of the meeting, Barry indicated that he would look at a possible forum and other discussion opportunities for Steve, Autry or me to speak to their membership. Pictured below from left to right are: Autry; Barry; and me. (Steve took the picture, since all of the staff had left the building.)
Once again, it was a very busy schedule, and I continue to be encouraged with the positive reception in congressional offices and the increasing dialogue with national organizations about the FAIRtax.
The tax reform train is leaving the station! Please join us, and together we can make history!!
Peggy Green-Ernst, MBA
Director, Government Relations
Board of Directors
Americans For Fair Taxation
Peggy.Green-Ernst@FAIRtax.org