French Hill on Tax Reform

We need a simple fair tax code instead of wet blanket

We must demand accountability and simplicity at every level of the federal government. That starts by repealing the endless regulations, mandates and taxes that saddle Arkansas small businesses. We have a federal tax code that is madly complex. We need a simple, clear, fairer tax code. Manufacturers need certainty and relief so they can to grow, expand, and add jobs.

In short, we must completely overhaul the federal government's wet blanket that is holding our nation back. Hardworking Americans and entrepreneurs need an ally--not an enemy--in Washington.

Repeal the death tax, immediately and with no expiration.

Repeals the federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

• Subtitle B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes) is hereby repealed.
• The repeal shall apply to estates of decedents dying, gifts made, and generation-skipping transfers made after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Death Tax is a pernicious double tax.

Heritage Action Summary: This bill would repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, as well as cut the top gift tax rate.

Heritage Foundation recommendation to vote YES: (4/16/2015): Collectively, these measures repeal the pernicious double tax known as the "death tax," and result in a tax cut of $269 billion over 10 years. The death tax hurts economic growth and therefore limits the ability of Americans to prosper. Repealing the death tax would generate an average of 18,000 jobs annually and increase the overall net worth of American households by $300 billion a year. The federal government should encourage, not punish, Americans who work and pay taxes their whole lives, save enough to support themselves through retirement, and retain the ability to fulfill the American Dream by passing along a better life to their children.

Secretary of Labor Robert Reich recommendation to vote YES: (robertreich.org 6/4/2015): At a time of historic economic inequality, it should be a no-brainer to raise a tax on inherited wealth for the very rich. Yet there's a move among some members of Congress to abolish it altogether. Today the estate tax reaches only the richest 2/10 of 1%, and applies only to dollars in excess of $10.86 million for married couples or $5.43 million for individuals. That means if a couple leaves to their heirs $10,860,001, they now pay the estate tax on $1. The current estate tax rate is 40%, so that would be 40 cents. Yet according to these members of Congress, that's still too much. Our democracy's Founding Fathers did not want a privileged aristocracy. Yet that's the direction we're going in. The tax on inherited wealth is one of the major bulwarks against it. That tax should be increased and strengthened.

Legislative outcome: Passed by the House 240-179-12; never came to vote in Senate.