Igniting America's Economy with Fairtax

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for holding this important debate on tax reform and the FairTax Act.

Tax reform is one of the most pressing issues facing our Nation today. In fact, it is so important that my very first act in Congress was to cosponsor this bill. I had promised that to my constituents. When I got here, that is exactly what I did. Without question, one of the most pressing issues that our citizenry has right now is tax reform. That is at the top of the list. So I am very proud to be able to participate in this.

You mentioned the ports. I am very blessed and very humble to be able to represent the First Congressional District in Georgia, which includes two major seaports: the Port of Savannah, which is the number two container port on the Eastern seaboard and number four in the Nation; and the Port of Brunswick, which is the number three roll-on, roll-off port in the country, meaning that we have cars down there that are leaving that port every day and going to all corners of the world.

It is something that we are very, very proud of, and something that adds to our economy. And it is not just the economy of the First Congressional District, but of the entire Southeast United States. That is how important it is. Again, that is why the FairTax is so very important to our country and why I support it so much.

We need a tax system that treats everyone equally, that encourages American businesses and the economy to grow and prosper. First of all, people don't like paying taxes. We understand that. We all understand the need to pay taxes. But if they are going to pay a tax, they want to pay a consumption tax. They don't want to pay a property tax. They would rather pay a consumption tax.

I have learned that after years of being a mayor and after years serving in the State legislature, that has been something that has been just very clear to me. And people want a tax system that is easy to understand. They don't like our current tax system that is so complex.

When you look at the IRS manual and you see how thick it is, it just boggles the mind to think that we can't come up with something much easier than that. That is why I compliment you on the FairTax, because it is simple and it is straightforward and it is fair, and that is what people want.

But even worse, we have got an out-of-control bureaucracy at the IRS that has completely lost the trust of the American people. When I go home, when I meet with my constituents time and time again, that is what they tell me, that they don't trust the IRS, that it is too complex. They want it to where they can file their taxes on a postcard. And there is no reason why we shouldn't have that and no reason why we shouldn't continue to work toward that common goal.

The FairTax Act would fully repeal our current tax system and replace it with a national sales tax on the use and our consumption of property or services in the U.S. By eliminating the Federal income tax, everyone can keep their entire paycheck and pay taxes only on what they consume. Again, a consumption tax.

No more struggling to understand the volumes and volumes of tax codes an exemptions. It would do away with all that. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Everyone would contribute their fair share based on what they purchase.

We all have to purchase. That is what makes our economy run, and that is why this is such an ideal tax and such an ideal system for me and for us as Americans.

You know, as a former small-business owner, I am fully aware of how difficult it is to be successful and grow when the tax system is so complicated and burdensome. I fought those battles. The uncertainty alone makes it very hard to take on the challenges and risk of building capital and hiring employees. The economy cannot grow if businessowners are held back from making the changes and additions that they need to expand. We have to have that.

I believe that a simple and straightforward system like the FairTax will provide the certainty that businesses need to grow with confidence. Our Nation is still in an economic recovery mode, and businessowners and families need all the confidence that they can get.

Again, I want to thank my colleague from Georgia for introducing this legislation and compliment him on the excellent job that he is doing. I encourage all my colleagues to support the FairTax so that we can finally have the fair and simple tax system that Americans deserve.

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for his efforts.

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