Reps. Sheen, Drolet, Gosselin, Hoogendyk, Acciavatti, Baxter, Booher, Casperson, Caul, Elsenheimer, Farhat, Garfield, Green, Hansen, Hildenbrand, Lemmons, Jr., Marleau, Meyer, Mortimer, Nitz, Nofs, Palmer, Pearce, Sak, Shaffer, Stahl, Taub and Vander Veen offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 194.

            A resolution to urge the Congress of the United States to reform the United States tax code.

            Whereas, The United States tax code has become increasingly complex and burdensome for American families and businesses. Congress has enacted 15,000 changes to the tax code since 1986, and each of these changes resulted in more complexity and burdensome requirements on American taxpayers. This increased complexity and lack of transparency creates substantial uncertainty for taxpayers in figuring out their tax bill each year. Indeed, American families and businesses spent 3.5 billion hours filling out their tax forms, costing $150 billion just to ensure that their taxes were paid correctly; and

            Whereas, The tax base has become increasingly diluted as tax deductions have made special preferences for particular economic activities. High marginal tax rates on income and investment penalize work, savings, and investment. Multiple layers of double taxation on savings and investment coupled with increasing compliance costs are reducing economic growth, job creation, and household savings; and

            Whereas, Tax law changes have not kept pace with a growing and dynamic international economy, thus leaving American workers and businesses at a significant competitive disadvantage with foreign competitors. For America to continue to be a leader in the global economy, Congress needs to enact tax reform which greatly reduces compliance costs, eliminates double taxation of savings and investment, and taxes one time and at one rate; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby urge the Congress of the United States to reform the United States tax code; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.