Although Congress had just returned from recess, some members of Congress were able to squeeze us into their busy Committee schedules. We had the opportunity to meet with Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) to discuss his Progressive Consumption Tax Act and our Fair Tax Act (S.155), and the Senator wants to continue that dialogue. His Tax Legislative Assistant Beth Bell also joined us for this meeting.
We also met with Fair Tax Act (HR 25) Sponsor Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA-7), who is pictured above with Steve Hayes and me in the lobby outside the Budget Committee hearing room in the Cannon House Office Building. In addition, we had a long meeting with cosponsor Congressman Steve King (R-IA-4) in his office to discuss Fair Tax strategy, until he was called away for a vote. Steve and I are pictured below with Congressman King.
We appreciated Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT) and his staff for graciously scheduling a meeting for us with a Finance Committee staff person, who expressed interest in testimony on the economics of the Fair Tax at an upcoming hearing.
On the Senate side, we met with staff from the following offices: Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sponsor of S 155; Senator David Perdue (R-GA), CoSponsor; Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), CoSponsor; Senator John Cornyn (R-TX); and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). In addition, on the House side, we met with staff from the following offices: Congressman Kevin Yoder (R-KS-3), CoSponsor of HR 25; Congressman David Jolly (R-FL-13); and Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL-6).
Many people on Capitol Hill expressed great interest and enthusiasm for our Fair Tax State Memorial Resolution initiative. I explained to them that when I undertook the rollout of this initiative across the U.S. in late January, our energized FairTax activists embraced the idea, and are now working in over 25 states with their state legislatures to support a Resolution to encourage members of Congress and the President to support the Fair Tax Act and the repeal of the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Way to go grassroots volunteers! Your efforts in this area made an impression with people on Capitol Hill!! The Florida FairTax Memorial Resolution continues to serve as our successful model, thanks to the hard work and leadership of FairTax Florida State Director Mark Gupton.
The State Memorial Resolution initiative was also part of the message that we delivered when we met with Joint Economic Committee staff.
In addition, prior to my arrival in D.C., Steve also attended a small luncheon with Steve Forbes, and he and Forbes continued their spirited conversation on tax reform.
Finally, a possible Republican candidate for President in 2016, Mark Everson, requested a meeting with us, and we had the opportunity to discuss the FairTax with him in great detail.
The drum roll for a national consumption tax is getting louder, and support for the Fair Tax is becoming stronger and more visible on Capitol Hill, due in large part to the persistence of FairTax activists! We need to build on that momentum, to keep making calls to members of Congress, to educate editorial boards as well as write letters to the editors of local newspapers, and to keep adding to our 1040 Club membership to show Congress that we are FairTax strong!!
Peggy Green-Ernst, MBADirector, Government Relations
Board of Directors
Americans For Fair Taxation
Peggy.Green-Ernst@FAIRtax.org