Included in the President’s budget proposal was a change to the way Social Security measures inflation – moving from the current measure to the chained Consumer Price Index.  As Treasury Secretary Lew stated during his testimony before the Ways and Means Committee on the President’s budget, “The Chained CPI is a more accurate measure of inflation in that it does a better job of… Read more

Washington, DC – Today, Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Boustany Jr., M.D. (R-LA) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Acting Commissioner Steve Miller inquiring about IRS employees leaving their official duties to attend union training conferences on the taxpayer’s dime. Recently, the IRS informed its employees that, due to sequestration, five to seven… Read more

Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Committee will hold a hearing on Federal tax provisions that affect residential real estate as part of the Committee’s continued work on comprehensive tax reform. The hearing will take place on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Room 1100 of the Longworth House Office Building, beginning at… Read more

A labor union representing roofers is reversing course and calling for repeal of the federal health law, citing concerns the law will raise its cost for insuring members.   Organized labor was instrumental in getting the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, but more recently has voiced concerns that the law could lead members to lose their existing health plans. The United Union of… Read more

Tax forms are too complex for members of Congress to fill out on their own, several lawmakers told The Hill. In fact, when broached with the question, “Do you fill out your own tax forms?” most members burst out laughing before admitting it was just too complicated. “I’m a former business lawyer,” Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said, adding that he’s served on… Read more

The momentum for fixing our tax code for families and all employers got another boost as the RATE Coalition, a group of job-creating companies committed to working with Congress to fix today’s broken tax code, stated, “this year is the best opportunity for comprehensive tax reform since 1986.”  In an update to a February letter signed by an additional 143 economists… Read more

Welcome to today’s hearing on the progress of reforms enacted last year designed to help more unemployed individuals, especially the long-term unemployed, get back to work. Reforms enacted in 2012 were aimed at connecting those in need with the resources necessary to succeed. Today, we will take a look at what the Administration and States are doing to implement these reforms.   As… Read more

Washington, DC - Today, Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) made the following statements after the Administration announced completion of bilateral consultations with Japan about its interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Chairman Camp: “I intend to continue my intensive consultations with the Administration on… Read more

Secretary Sebelius, thank you for joining us today for a discussion of the President’s 2014 Budget.   One of the top priorities for this Committee is to act now to save Medicare so that every generation of seniors can count on it.  So, I welcome the inclusion of some conceptual reforms to Medicare – including recognizing the urgent need for a permanent… Read more

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security Chairman Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced H.R. 1502, “The Social Security Disability Insurance and Unemployment Benefits Double Dip Elimination Act of 2013.”  The legislation would keep people from receiving both Social Security disability benefits and unemployment benefits at the same time.  A… Read more