Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) today issued the following statement in reaction to the announcement that the unemployment rate in March was 8.8 percent. “Make no mistake about it – though today’s unemployment numbers are encouraging, by no means does this mean we’re out of the woods.  While we have taken a good first step in restoring confidence to job creators, we must… Read more

Who Said It? "AARP members know they are being sold out by an organization that is happily using member dues and Medigap premiums to promote a Medicare bill that does more harm than good."   A. Wally Herger (R-CA)   B. Dave Reichert (R-WA)  C. Charles Boustany (R-LA) D. Pete Stark (D-CA) Answer: D. Pete Stark (D-CA) And… Read more

Washington, DC - Today, at a joint hearing of the Ways and Means Health and Oversight Subcommittees to examine AARP and its affiliates, revenue, charitable giving, Boards of Directors, and lobbying expenditures, an expert on not-for-profit entities called for additional investigation of AARP. William “Bill” Josephson, who was appointed as the Assistant Attorney General-in-Charge of the… Read more

Good morning.  I would like to welcome everyone to today’s hearing on the Internal Revenue Service and the 2011 Tax Return Filing Season.  Today’s conversation about the IRS should begin with a topic too often ignored: the taxpayer.  The National Taxpayer Advocate’s recent report to Congress provided some alarming facts on what the federal tax code has become, and how it… Read more

We meet today to consider H.R. 1232, a bill that restricts the use of taxpayer funds for abortion.  It is, we all know, not an issue that this Committee considers often, and it is certainly one that many of us have strong feelings about.  While I expect there will be differences of opinion today, I do hope that we will stand together in protecting the jurisdiction of this… Read more

I think every member of this committee, Republican and Democrat alike, would agree on one basic fact: The U.S. economy is not growing fast enough.  If the pace of private sector job creation does not increase significantly, the national unemployment rate will remain unacceptably “high” for at least another five years.  Currently, there are 14 million Americans who are… Read more

Good afternoon.  I would like to welcome all of you, especially Panamanian Ambassador Jaramillo, to our hearing on the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement.  Today’s hearing is the second in a series of hearings we will hold on the pending trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea.  As I’ve said before, I strongly believe that we should consider all three… Read more

Washington, DC – Ways and Means Committee Members Wally Herger (R-CA), Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Charles Boustany (R-LA) today released “Behind the Veil: The AARP America Doesn’t Know,”  a new report exposing the conflict between AARP’s drive for profits, the best interests of its members and the organization’s tax exempt status.  The report, which is the culmination of… Read more

House Republicans seek IRS probe of AARP March 30, 2011  WASHINGTON (AP) — AARP lobbied for the new health care law and now it stands to profit, Republican lawmakers charged Wednesday as they called for the IRS to investigate whether the powerful interest group deserves to keep its federal tax exemption. Three veteran GOP representatives released a report that estimates the… Read more

  HEARING ON IMPEDIMENTS TO JOB CREATION HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION March 30, 2011 … Read more