Good morning.  Today, we will separately consider three measures to meet our reconciliation instructions in the House-passed budget, which asks committees such as this to find a smarter way to reduce our debt and deficits, which are costing us jobs.   The gentleman from California, Mr. Becerra, will remember that during the Bowles-Simpson commission, we heard non-partisan… Read more

Good morning.  We meet today to continue our dialogue about what I hope will result in a bipartisan path forward to reform our federal income tax system. In recent weeks, much of the discussion about tax reform has centered on the corporate side, especially after Japan lowered its corporate rate on April 1, leaving America with the dubious distinction of having the highest corporate… Read more

We are here today at the end of an extraordinary week in the history of the Democrats’ health care overhaul.  Last Friday marked the two-year anniversary of the law, and for three days this week the Supreme Court considered its constitutionality.  Today, the subcommittee will examine two coercive mandates at the center of the law.   Beginning in 2014, the individual… Read more

Good morning.  We meet today to consider H.R. 9, “The Small Business Tax Cut Act.”  This legislation will allow a business with fewer than 500 employees to take a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their active business income and applies to businesses and business owners who pay their taxes at the individual or corporate level. Whenever I am talking with small business… Read more

Good morning and welcome to the third hearing in our series on securing the future of the Social Security Disability Insurance program.  Today we will focus on how disability is decided.   For more than 50 years the Social Security Disability Insurance program has provided a vital safety net for workers who have worked long and recently enough and who meet the definition of… Read more

Today we will review several no-cost ways to improve the nation’s child support enforcement program so more children benefit from child support. These changes should have broad bipartisan support, and hopefully can proceed to the House floor in the coming weeks. The child support enforcement program was created in 1975 in order to reduce public expenditures on welfare.  By… Read more

Good morning.  We meet today to consider H.R. 452, “The Medicare Decisions Accountability Act.”  This legislation repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which was a program included in the Democrats’ health care law.   The most unifying feature of the IPAB is the strong bipartisan support for its repeal. Speaking in support of its repeal, Congressman Frank… Read more

Good morning.  Before we begin, I want to say that I was saddened to learn that a former staff member of the Joint Committee on Taxation, Cyndi Lafuente, passed away earlier this week.  I know she was a valued colleague and friend to many people in this room.  I want to express my deepest condolences to her family and friends for their loss.  Cyndi will be… Read more

We are meeting today to hear from those who will be directly and adversely impacted by the so-called “Independent Payment Advisory Board” or “IPAB.”  In an era where the two political parties are best known for their deep divisions, this is one area where there appears to be bipartisan concern. IPAB was created in the Democrats’ health care overhaul, and is designed to “reduce the… Read more

Good morning. I want to welcome everyone and extend a special welcome to our guest, the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk, as well as our second panel of witnesses. I am looking forward to a discussion of the Administration’s trade policy agenda and the future of U.S. trade policy. We are coming off a strong year in which we saw more action on trade than in the… Read more