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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Member, Congressional Sportsman's Caucus

Member, Immigration Reform Caucus

Former Member, Joint Committee on Taxation, United States House of Representatives

Member, Prisoner of War-Missing in Action United States-Russia Joint Commission

Member, Public Pension Reform Caucus

Founder, Republican Study Committee

Former Member, Subcommittee on Health (Ways and Means), United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Social Security, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Ways and Means Committee, United States House of Representatives

Education

  • MS, Information Assurance, George Washington University, 1974
  • BBA, Southern Methodist University, 1951

Professional Experience

  • MS, Information Assurance, George Washington University, 1974
  • BBA, Southern Methodist University, 1951
  • Former Director, Air Force Fighter Weapons School
  • Former Coordinator, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
  • Author, Captive Warriors: A Vietnam Prisoner Of War (POW)'s Story, 1992
  • Colonel, United States Air Force, Korea, Vietnam, 1950-1979

Political Experience

  • MS, Information Assurance, George Washington University, 1974
  • BBA, Southern Methodist University, 1951
  • Former Director, Air Force Fighter Weapons School
  • Former Coordinator, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
  • Author, Captive Warriors: A Vietnam Prisoner Of War (POW)'s Story, 1992
  • Colonel, United States Air Force, Korea, Vietnam, 1950-1979
  • Republican Assistant Whip
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 3, 1991-2019
  • Representative, Texas State House of Representatives, 1984-1991

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, Congressional Sportsman's Caucus

Member, Immigration Reform Caucus

Former Member, Joint Committee on Taxation, United States House of Representatives

Member, Prisoner of War-Missing in Action United States-Russia Joint Commission

Member, Public Pension Reform Caucus

Founder, Republican Study Committee

Former Member, Subcommittee on Health (Ways and Means), United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Social Security, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Ways and Means Committee, United States House of Representatives

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • MS, Information Assurance, George Washington University, 1974
  • BBA, Southern Methodist University, 1951
  • Former Director, Air Force Fighter Weapons School
  • Former Coordinator, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
  • Author, Captive Warriors: A Vietnam Prisoner Of War (POW)'s Story, 1992
  • Colonel, United States Air Force, Korea, Vietnam, 1950-1979
  • Republican Assistant Whip
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 3, 1991-2019
  • Representative, Texas State House of Representatives, 1984-1991
  • Member, Associated Texans Against Crime
  • Member, Board of Regents, Smithsonian Institute
  • Member, Executive Board, Dedman College, Southern Methodist University
  • Member, Rotary Club
  • Member, Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco
  • Member, Texas State Society

Other Info

Astrological Sign:

Libra

— Awards:

  • Bronze Star with Valor, United States Air Force

Purple Heart Awards, United States Air Force

Air Medals, United States Air Force

Legions of Merit Awards, United States Air Force

National Patriot Award 2009; Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Silver Star Awards, United States Air Force

Outstanding Unit Awards, United States Air Force

Distinguished Flying Cross, United States Air Force

  • 10

Priority Issues:

Abiding by the Constitution, Economic Security, Healthcare, Energy Independence, National Security, Illegal Immigration, Education, Conservative Values

— Publications:

  • Co-author with Jan Winebrenner, Captive Warriors: A Vietnam Pow's Story, 1992

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

Crime

1. Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders?
- Unknown Position

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy

1. Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline?
- Yes

2. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

Environment

Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

Marriage

Do you support same-sex marriage?
- No

National Security

1. Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support?
- Yes

Social Security

1. Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
- No

Texas Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- X

2. Abortions should always be legal.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

6. Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
- No Answer

7. Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
- X

8. Other or expanded principles.
- No Answer

Budgetary, Spending, and Tax

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

1. Agriculture
- Maintain Status

2. Arts
- Maintain Status

3. Defense
- Slightly Increase

4. Education
- Slightly Increase

5. Environment
- Maintain Status

6. FEMA
- Maintain Status

7. Homeland security
- Slightly Increase

8. International aid
- Slightly Decrease

9. Law enforcement (Federal)
- Slightly Increase

10. Law enforcement (State)
- Slightly Increase

11. Medical research
- Slightly Increase

12. National parks
- Slightly Decrease

13. Public health services
- Maintain Status

14. Scientific research
- Slightly Increase

15. Space exploration programs
- Slightly Increase

16. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

17. United Nations
- Eliminate

18. Welfare
- Slightly Decrease

19. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

20. Armed forces personnel training
- Slightly Increase

21. Intelligence operations
- Slightly Increase

22. Military hardware
- Slightly Increase

23. Modernization of weaponry and equipment
- Slightly Increase

24. National missile defense
- Slightly Increase

25. Pay for active duty personnel
- Slightly Increase

26. Programs to improve troop retention rates
- Slightly Increase

27. Research and development of new weapons
- Slightly Increase

28. Troop and equipment readiness
- Slightly Increase

29. Less than $12,000
- Maintain Status

30. $12,001-$40,000
- Maintain Status

31. $40,001-$100,000
- Slightly Decrease

32. $100,001-$180,000
- Maintain Status

33. $180,001-$350,000
- Maintain Status

34. $350,001 and above
- Maintain Status

35. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

36. Capital gains taxes
- Maintain Status

37. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

38. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

39. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

40. Inheritance taxes
- Eliminate

41. Charitable contribution deduction
- Maintain Status

42. Child tax credit
- Maintain Status

43. Earned income tax credit
- Maintain Status

44. Medical expense deduction
- Maintain Status

45. Mortgage deduction
- Maintain Status

46. Student loan credit
- Maintain Status

47. Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
- Yes

48. Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
- Yes

49. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

1. Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
- No Answer

2. Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
- No Answer

3. Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
- No Answer

4. Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
- No Answer

5. Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
- No Answer

6. Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
- No Answer

7. Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
- No Answer

8. Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
- X

9. Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
- X

10. Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
- X

11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

1. Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- X

2. Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- No Answer

3. Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- No Answer

4. Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
- No Answer

5. Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
- No Answer

6. Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
- X

7. Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
- X

8. Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
- No Answer

2. Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
- X

3. Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
- X

4. Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
- X

5. Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
- No Answer

6. Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
- No Answer

7. Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
- No Answer

8. Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
- No Answer

9. Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
- X

10. Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
- No Answer

11. Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
- X

12. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Employment

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

1. Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today?s job market.
- No Answer

2. Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
- X

3. Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
- X

4. Increase the federal minimum wage.
- No Answer

5. Support the right of workers to unionize.
- No Answer

6. Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
- X

7. Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer

8. Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
- No Answer

2. Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
- No Answer

3. Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
- X

4. Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
- No Answer

5. Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
- No Answer

6. Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
- X

7. Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
- X

8. Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
- No Answer

9. Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
- X

10. Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
- No Answer

11. Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
- No Answer

12. Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
- No Answer

13. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.

1. Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
- X

2. Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
- No Answer

3. Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- Greatly Decrease

4. Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- Greatly Decrease

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

1. Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
- No Answer

2. Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
- X

3. Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
- No Answer

4. Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
- No Answer

5. Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
- X

6. Support expanding child healthcare programs.
- No Answer

7. Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Immigration

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

1. Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
- X

2. Establish English as the official national language.
- X

3. Support a temporary worker program.
- No Answer

4. Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
- X

5. Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
- No Answer

6. Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
- X

7. Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
- No Answer

8. Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

International Aid, International Policy, and International Trade

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

1. Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
- X

2. Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
- X

3. Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
- X

4. Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
- X

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

6. Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
- Yes

7. Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
- No

8. Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
- Yes

9. Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
- No Answer

10. Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
- Yes

11. Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
- No Answer

12. Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
- Yes

13. Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
- No Answer

14. Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
- No Answer

15. Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
- Yes

16. Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
- Yes

17. Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
- Yes

18. Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
- Yes

19. Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
- No

20. Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
- No

21. Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
- Yes

22. Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
- No Answer

23. Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
- Yes

24. Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
- Yes

25. Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
- Yes

26. Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
- Yes

27. We need to do whatever it takes to squash al-Qaeda and the Taliban once and for all - in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This means working with both nations. We must bolster the burgeoning army in Afghanistan, the ANA, the Afghan National Army. It's been reported that about every week a fresh 650-men battalion finishes training and heads out on patrol. They're making great inroads in conjunction with America. My goal is to make them more self-sufficient in their quest to retake their country from terrorists roaming their lands.
- The Surge has produced dramatic results - for the good. Things have improved markedly in Iraq and our armed forces are making great strides. I'm hopeful that our servicemen and women will return home safely and soon - when the time is right. The number of American troops in Iraq is on the decline. The Iraqi army, with the Americans, recently began a new big drive against al-Qaeda insurgent groups in Diyala province. But this progress is delicate. The wave of change in Iraq must come from within and it must stem from its people and its leaders.

National Security

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

1. Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
- Yes

2. Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
- Yes

3. Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
- Yes

4. Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
- Yes

5. Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
- Yes

6. Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
- No

7. Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
- Yes

8. Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

1. Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
- No

2. Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
- Yes

3. Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
- Yes

4. Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
- No

5. Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
- No

6. Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
- No

7. Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
- No

Social Security

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

1. Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
- X

2. Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
- No Answer

3. Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
- No Answer

4. Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
- X

5. Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
- No Answer

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Welfare and Poverty

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

1. Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
- X

2. Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
- X

3. Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
- No Answer

4. Abolish all federal welfare programs.
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- No Answer

Congress Bills
Speeches
Articles

The Dallas Morning News - The Government's Own Rules Are Blocking People from Getting Off of Disability

May 25, 2017

By Sam Johnson The Social Security Disability Insurance program provides benefits to nearly 8.8 million who can no longer work due to illness or injury. This program is an important lifeline for them. But for those whose conditions improve, the program makes returning to work too complicated.According to the most recent survey of disability insurance beneficiaries, 40 percent want to return to work. However, in any given year, less than .5 percent successfully re-enter the workforce. That's largely because Social Security's complicated rules stand in the way, and that's not right. Fortunately, President Donald Trump is taking steps to improve the program. In his annual budget request released this week, the president called for helping disability insurance beneficiaries and applicants who want to return to work. This is exactly what we are focused on in the House Ways and Means Committee, where I serve as the Social Security Subcommittee chairman. We've held several hearings on this issue to better understand why those who want to return to work aren't successful in doing so. Time and time again, we hear that Social Security's complex rules and the fear of owing tens of thousands of dollars in overpayments get in the way.The good news is the administration already has some things it can do right now to help folks return to work. For example, the Social Security Administration has the authority to test new ideas to give Congress important information about what changes could help the most people. It can also provide information about employment support services to applicants who are denied disability benefits. Furthermore, the SSA can improve the availability of information for disability insurance beneficiaries who want to return to work. Some solutions do require legislation, however, and Congress has already made some commonsense changes that should make returning to work easier. We simplified how the SSA counts a person's earnings and made sure that the agency gets more up-to-date earnings information. We also required the SSA to provide beneficiaries with 21st century options for reporting their earnings -- there is no reason there can't be an app for that. But there is still more to do. That's why I introduced a bill this year to address an unintended consequence of the way Social Security's work incentives interact with Tricare, the Department of Defense's health insurance program. Disability beneficiaries who return to work and lose their cash benefits have the option to keep Medicare coverage for an additional 8.5 years or decline this coverage. However, that same option is not available for wounded veterans who return to work after receiving disability insurance. These heroes must keep their extended Medicare in order to keep access to Tricare benefits, which include specialized programs for their injuries, such as severe burns and lost limbs.This nonsensical practice is downright unfair. My bill would give wounded veterans who return to work the choice to decline their extended Medicare coverage and still retain access Tricare. Finally, the SSA needs strong leadership. The president must nominate a commissioner who is serious about helping disability insurance beneficiaries return to work. The SSA has had an acting commissioner since 2013, and that's far too long for an agency that touches the lives of all Americans. Disability insurance is an important safety net, but it shouldn't be a trap. If someone is able to return to work the program shouldn't stand in the way. This is too important not to get right.

Wall Street Journal - Save Small Business from Obamacare

Mar. 21, 2017

By Sam Johnson and Tim Walberg Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini warned last month that the Affordable Care Act is in a "death spiral." Because ObamaCare is failing, we are debating how best to repeal and replace it. But amid this debate, it's important to remember the people ObamaCare is hurting. Here is what Kathy, who owns a company in Missouri, told the House Ways and Means Committee: "As a small business owner, I recall the days before the ACA when we would receive a 2-inch notebook that contained multiple quotes from different health insurance companies. Now, our options are listed on a single legal sized sheet of paper. We only received three quotes for 2017, and just two of them were adequate for our region. In 2013, our insurance cost $180,000 for 92 lives with a $2,000 deductible. In 2016, we paid $252,000 for just 61 lives who face a $5,000 deductible." Her story, unfortunately, is not unique. Under ObamaCare's costly regulations, many business owners must make hard choices between cutting back employees' hours, laying off staff, or dropping health-care coverage (and then paying a penalty for doing so if the firm has more than 50 workers). Among businesses with fewer than 10 employees, 35.6% offered health insurance in 2008. That figure had fallen by 2015 to 22.7%, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Even worse, a January report from the American Action Forum found that since ObamaCare became law, "among small businesses, the rise in premiums has been associated with $19 billion in lost wages, 10,130 fewer business establishments, and nearly 300,000 lost jobs." That's a big problem for American families, particularly since small businesses are responsible for 55% of all jobs and 66% of all net new jobs. Repealing ObamaCare is necessary and would certainly help small businesses grow and hire new workers. But Congress should also help these job-creators provide affordable health-care options to their employees. That's why we introduced the Small Business Health Fairness Act, which the House is scheduled to vote on this week. The legislation is built on a basic rule of insurance: The bigger the risk pool, the lower the premium. That's why large corporations and unions have an advantage in providing health insurance to their employees and members. Our bill would allow small businesses to band together through association health plans, or AHPs, to provide good policies for workers and their families at a lower cost. AHPs could function in one of two ways: They could work directly with an insurer to negotiate better rates. Or they could self-fund, just as many large corporations and unions already do. Self-funded plans would also be exempted from many costly state and federal requirements, just as many corporate and union plans are. To ensure the success and fairness of AHPs, our bill includes requirements that would provide accountability, stability, and consistency across the country. Any active marketing by an AHP sponsor would have to be directed at all its members, regardless of their claims history or health status. AHPs would be restricted from setting premiums in a way that might raise costs for higher-claims companies compared with similarly situated employers in the plan. As House Republicans work to repeal ObamaCare and alleviate the burden it places on Americans across the country, we hope that AHPs can be a central part of the effort. Passing our bill is a common-sense way to give small-businesses the same economies of scale in health insurance that Fortune 500 companies enjoy--with the result being more affordable coverage for workers and their families.

Public Now - Ending The "Made In America" Tax: Three Major Wins For The American People

Dec. 21, 2016

By Members of the House Committee on Ways and Means Our bold Blueprint for tax reform takes historic action to unleash job creation and economic growth in America. One of the most pro-growth features is that we're finally going to end the self-imposed "Made in America" tax on U.S. exports -- a backwards feature of our nation's current tax code that gives foreign-made products an advantage over American-made goods, services, and intellectual property. Here's a simple example of how today's "Made in America" tax helps our foreign competitors at the expense of American businesses and workers: Consider two global companies: an American company that manufactures tractors in Ohio, and its European rival that manufactures tractors in Germany. With the "Made in America" tax imposed by the current U.S. tax code, the Ohio-based company is subject to U.S. tax on every tractor they make here and sell in Europe. Meanwhile, the European rival pays no U.S. tax on the tractors they make in Germany and sell in America. Imports are not taxed under the current U.S. system but American exports are. Basically, the "Made in America" tax on U.S. exports works exactly like it sounds -- if you make products in America, you're taxed when you sell them abroad. But if you make products abroad, you're not taxed when selling them here. In this way, our nation's current tax code provides a direct incentive for businesses to move operations and jobs overseas. After all, if it's not "Made in America," it's not subject to the "Made in America" tax. Ending the self-imposed "Made in America" tax on U.S. exports is a bold solution that will help our businesses and workers compete and win anywhere in the world -- but especially here at home. Here are three reasons why ending the "Made in America" tax is a win for our businesses, workers, and communities: Win #1: Leveling the playing field for America's job creators and workers With some of the brightest, most innovative small businesses and workers in the world, the products we make and sell here in America often set the global benchmark for quality. That's why our nation is so successful when competition takes place on a level playing field. But, today -- with the "Made in America" tax -- the deck is being stacked against our job creators and workers. The worst part of it all is that we're doing this to ourselves. By eliminating the "Made in America" tax, we can dramatically level the playing field for our workers and communities. No longer will American businesses be forced to compete with one hand tied behind their backs. Instead, competition will occur on price, quality, and service. And when that happens, "Made in America" products -- and all of the businesses and workers who make them -- are about as unbeatable as they come. Win #2: Making America a magnet for investment and job creation It's a basic rule of thumb -- if you want to get less of something, put a tax on it. And that's exactly what we've seen as a result of the "Made in America" tax. It's completely backwards, and it continues to drive research and development, investment, and good-paying jobs out of our communities. To get our economy moving again, America needs a modern tax system that empowers our job creators and workers to make more -- not less -- here in America. And we need a tax system that encourages our businesses to sell their products to more customers throughout the world. Success in global markets creates jobs and growth here at home. Ways and Means Republicans are committed to ending the "Made in America" tax as part of comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform. When combined with the other historic reforms of our Blueprint, this solution is a game-changer that not only removes incentives for companies to relocate abroad, but also makes the United States a magnet for 21st century investment and job creation. Win #3: A modern international tax system for the 21st century America's international tax system is among the most complex, costly, and uncompetitive of any major country in the world. Not only does this make it harder for our businesses to compete and succeed, it makes America a less attractive place to do business in the first place. Eliminating the U.S. tax on "Made in America" products will also eliminate antiquated and burdensome U.S. international tax rules that put our companies at a disadvantage in the global marketplace. In the end, that means a vastly simpler and more modern U.S. international tax system for the 21st century -- one that supports economic growth here at home by giving our businesses, products, and workers a greater chance to succeed all over the world. Our major international competitors stopped taxing their own exports a long time ago. Now, it's America's turn to do the same. Ending the self-imposed "Made in America" tax on U.S. exports is a win for our economy and for Americans of all walks of life.