Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague. I have been pleased to join her in adding the language of this type to each appropriation bill that has thus far been approved in the House.

I am surprised that there could be any opposition to it today because all this amendment is saying is, if you renounce your citizenship and go abroad to avoid paying taxes, don't come with hand outstretched to ask the other taxpayers who stayed here and worked in America and who are proud to be American businesses and are paying their fair share, don't ask them to put their tax dollars into providing you a government contract.

It seems to me very apparent that some corporations are willing to do their fair share in paying for American security, energy and water projects, and other vital government services and some are not. There are a string of corporations who have decided they would keep their business operations in America, but they would suddenly renounce their American citizenship and become a citizen of one of these island kingdoms. That is not the American approach of fairness in paying for the services that we need.

This amendment would put an end to that renunciation of citizenship and asking for taxpayer-funded business. It is equitable; it is fair. We cannot have the resources that we need to remain the greatest Nation in the world without having every American citizen contributing their fair share. Most are. Those who renounce their citizenship and nominally declare that they are now a foreign citizen and not subject to full American taxation, they are not carrying their fair share.

I urge adoption of this amendment, an equitable amendment, for fairness in our public policy.

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