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Doug Collins on Tax Reform

 

 


Prohibit Earned Income Tax Credit for "illegal aliens"

I introduced the Tax Credit Accountability Act to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for years in which they file taxes or when they retroactively file taxes. This practice is unjust and unacceptable. It penalizes hardworking Americans and workers who reside in the U.S. legally, and my legislation would stop the practice decisively.
Source: 2019-2020 Senate campaign website DougCollins.house.gov , Nov 15, 2019

Replace income tax & estate tax with 23% sales tax.

Collins co-sponsored Fair Tax Act of 2011

    Congress finds the Federal income tax--
  1. retards economic growth and has reduced the standard of living
  2. impedes the international competitiveness of US industry
  3. reduces savings and investment by taxing income multiple times
  4. slows the capital formation necessary for real wages to steadily increase
  5. lowers productivity
  6. imposes unacceptable and unnecessary administrative and compliance costs
  7. is unfair and inequitable
  8. unnecessarily intrudes upon the privacy and civil rights of US citizens
  9. impedes upward social mobility.
    Findings Relating to National Sales Tax- Congress finds further that a broad-based national sales tax on goods and services purchased for final consumption--
  1. is similar in many respects to the sales and use taxes in place in 45 of the 50 States
  2. will promote savings and investment
  3. will promote fairness
  4. will promote economic growth
  5. will raise the standard of living
  6. will increase investment
  7. will enhance productivity and international competitiveness
  8. will reduce administrative burdens on the American taxpayer
  9. will improve upward social mobility; and
  10. will respect the privacy interests and civil rights of taxpayers.
Source: H.R.25 11-HR025 on Jan 5, 2011

Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

Collins signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge against raising taxes

[The ATR, Americans for Tax Reform, run by conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist, ask legislators to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in each election cycle. Their self-description:]

In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. Since its rollout in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts. Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state office and to all incumbents. More than 1,100 state officeholders, from state representative to governor, have signed the Pledge.

The Taxpayer Protection Pledge: "I pledge to the taxpayers of my district and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."

Opponents' Opinion (from wikipedia.com):In Nov. 2011, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) claimed that Congressional Republicans "are being led like puppets by Grover Norquist. They're giving speeches that we should compromise on our deficit, but never do they compromise on Grover Norquist. He is their leader." Since Norquist's pledge binds signatories to opposing deficit reduction agreements that include any element of increased tax revenue, some Republican deficit hawks now retired from office have stated that Norquist has become an obstacle to deficit reduction. Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, co-chairman of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, has been particularly critical, describing Norquist's position as "no taxes, under any situation, even if your country goes to hell."

Source: Taxpayer Protection Pledge 12-ATR on Jan 1, 2012

Repeal the death tax, immediately and with no expiration.

Collins co-sponsored Death Tax Repeal Act

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,


Explanation from ObTheIssues.org:
Previously the estate tax was repealed, but with a "sunset clause" which terminated the repeal as of 2012TK; this new act has no such built-in expiration. The previous versions of the estate tax repeal also scaled by year the percentage of an estate not subject to the tax; this new act has no scaling and would take full effect immediately.
Source: H.R.147 13-HR0147 on Jan 3, 2013

Replace income tax and IRS with FairTax.

Collins co-sponsored H.R.25 & S.155

Congressional Summary: This bill imposes a national sales tax in lieu of the current income and corporate income tax, employment taxes, and estate and gift taxes. The rate of the sales tax will be 23% in 2017, with adjustments in subsequent years. U.S. residents receive a monthly sales tax rebate (Family Consumption Allowance) based upon family size and poverty guidelines. No funding is allowed for the operations of the Internal Revenue Service after FY2019. Finally, the FairTax terminates if the 16th Amendment to the Constitution (authorizing an income tax) is not repealed within 7 years.

Supporters reasons for voting YEA: Rep. MORAN: I am all on board on tax reform, but the best solution is not tinkering with the current system; it is an overhaul of the current Tax Code. The FairTax, in my view, brings two goals front and center: to pass on to the next generation of Americans the freedoms and liberties guaranteed by our Constitution, and the opportunity for every American to live the American dream.

Opponents reasons for voting NAY: (by FairTaxWarrior.com):

Source: FairTax Act sponsored by 6 Senators and 64 Reps 15_H025 on Jan 6, 2015

Death Tax is a pernicious double tax.

Collins voted YEA Death Tax Repeal Act

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.

Source: Supreme Court case 15-H1105 argued on Apr 16, 2015

2017-18 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Tax Reform: Doug Collins on other issues:
GA Gubernatorial:
Andrew Hunt
Brian Kemp
Casey Cagle
Hunter Hill
Jason Carter
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Nathan Deal
Sonny Perdue
Stacey Abrams
GA Senatorial:
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David Perdue
Derrick Grayson
Jason Carter
Jim Barksdale
John Barrow
Johnny Isakson
Jon Ossoff
Kelly Loeffler
Matt Lieberman
Ted Terry
Teresa Tomlinson
Tom Price

Freshman class of 2019:
"Freshman class" means "not in Congress in January 2017", with exceptions:
* Special election, so sworn in other than Jan. 2019
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Freshman class of January 2019 (Republicans):
AZ-8*:Lesko
CA-39***:Kim
FL-6:Waltz ; FL-15:Spano ; FL-17:Steube
GA-7:Woodall
ID-1**:Fulcher
IN-4:Baird
IN-6:Pence
KS-2:Watkins
MN-1:Hagedorn ; MN-8:Stauber
MS-3:Guest
MT-0*:Gianforte
NC-9***:Harris
ND-a:Armstrong
NM-2***:Herrell
OH-12*:Balderson ; OH-16:Gonzalez
OK-1:Hern
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VA-5:Riggleman ; VA-6:Cline
WI-1:Steil
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AZ-2**:Kirkpatrick ; AZ-9:Stanton
CA-49:Levin ; CA-10:Harder ; CA-21:Cox ; CA-25:Hill ; CA-39:Cisneros ; CA-45:Porter ; CA-48:Rouda
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MA-3:Trahan ; MA-7:Pressley
MD-6:Trone
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NC-9***:McCready
NH-1:Pappas
NJ-2:Van Drew ; NJ-3:Kim ; NJ-7:Malinowski ; NJ-11:Sherrill
NM-1:Haaland ; NM-2:Torres Small
NV-3:Lee ; NV-4**:Horsford
NY-14:Ocasio-Cortez ; NY-11:Rose ; NY-19:Delgado ; NY-22:Brindisi ; NY-25:Morelle
OK-5:Horn
PA-4:Dean ; PA-5:Scanlon ; PA-6:Houlahan ; PA-7:Wild ; PA-17*:Lamb
SC-1:Cunningham
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Page last updated: May 22, 2020