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Major Tax Issues in the 105th Congress: A Summary

Description: Taxes are again a focus of policy debate in during the first part of 1998. Many in Congress favor a tax cut, although the size of a possible cut is under discussion. Another issue is whether a tax cut should be offset by spending cuts and revenue raisers or instead financed by the expected budget surpluses -- in effect returning the surpluses to taxpayers in a manner similar to a rebate.
Date: July 10, 1998
Creator: Library of Congress. Economics Division.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Value-Added Tax as a New Revenue Source

Description: Some Members of Congress have expressed interest in the feasibility of using a value-added tax (VAT) to either replace all or part of the income tax or finance health care reform. A VAT is imposed at all levels of production on the differences between firms' sales and their purchases from all other firms. Policymakers may be interested in the following aspects of a VAT: revenue yield, international comparison of composition of taxes, vertical equity, neutrality, inflation, balance-of-trade, nat… more
Date: July 10, 2000
Creator: Bickley, James M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): Legislative Issues in the 106th Congress

Description: Bills introduced in the 106th Congress would have raised the limit on contributions to individualretirement accounts(IRAs) and eased other federal IRA rules. The House passed H.R. 5203, incorporating the higher IRA contribution limits of H.R.1102, on September 19, 2000. The IRA provisions of the bill would have cost $21.7 billion in foregone revenue over 10 years. The Senate Finance Committee ordered H.R. 1102 reported (with amendments) on September 7, 2000, but the bill did not reach the Senat… more
Date: January 10, 2001
Creator: Storey, James R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Flat Tax Proposals and Fundamental Tax Reform: An Overview

Description: The idea of replacing our current income tax system with a “flat-rate tax” is receiving renewed congressional interest. Although referred to as “flat-rate taxes,” many of the current proposals go much further than merely adopting a flat-rate tax structure. Some involve significant income tax base broadening while others entail changing the tax base from income to consumption.
Date: July 10, 2002
Creator: Bickley, James M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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A Value-Added Tax Contrasted with a National Sales Tax

Description: Proposals to replace all or part of the income tax and proposals for national health care have sparked congressional interest in possible sources of additional revenue. A value-added tax (VAT) or a national sales tax (NST) have been frequently discussed as possible new tax sources. Both the VAT and the NST are taxes on the consumption of goods and services and are conceptually similar. Yet, these taxes also have significant differences. This issue brief discusses some of the potential policy im… more
Date: July 10, 2002
Creator: Bickley, James M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Alcohol Beverages: Labeling and Health Claims

Description: This report concerns rules created in 2003 by the Alcohol and Tobacco and Trade Bureau that prohibits manufacturers from advertising substantive health benefits from alcoholic beverages. Moreover, the report covers the history and debate on this issue and of the Bureau.
Date: April 10, 2003
Creator: Porter, Donna V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Flat Tax Proposals and Fundamental Tax Reform: An Overview

Description: The idea of replacing our current income tax system with a “flat-rate tax” is receiving renewed congressional interest. Although referred to as “flat-rate taxes,” many of the current proposals go much further than merely adopting a flat-rate tax structure. Some involve significant income tax base broadening while others entail changing the tax base from income to consumption.
Date: July 10, 2003
Creator: Bickley, James M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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A Value-Added Tax Contrasted with a National Sales Tax

Description: Proposals to replace all or part of the income tax, proposals for national health care, and a proposal to finance America’s war effort have sparked congressional interest in the possibility of a broad-based consumption tax as a new source of revenue. A value-added tax (VAT) or a national sales tax (NST) have been frequently discussed as possible new tax sources. Both the VAT and the NST are taxes on the consumption of goods and services and are conceptually similar. Yet, these taxes also have s… more
Date: July 10, 2003
Creator: Bickley, James M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fact Sheet on Congressional Tax Proposals in the 108th Congress

Description: This report discusses the President, House and Senate tax proposals. Beyond the comprehensive tax proposals, both the House and the Senate have considered a range of targeted tax proposals. One of the first tax-related measures considered during the 108th Congress would provide tax reductions to armed services personnel. Congress has also initiated reconsideration of legislation not completed in the 107th Congress: tax incentives for charitable giving deductions, pension diversification, energy… more
Date: September 10, 2003
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security: 9/11 Victim Relief Funds

Description: In the first days following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, an unprecedented number of Americans contributed over $2.7 billion in donations to assist in the relief of victims. According to a 2004 Rand Corporation study, that money amounted to only a modest share (7%) of the $38.1 billion “quantified benefits” provided to victims of the terrorist attacks. The Rand Study reported that payments worth $19.6 billion (51%) were disbursed by insurers and $15.8 billion (42%) were disbursed… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: Wolfe, M. Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Extending the 2001, 2003, and 2004 Tax Cuts

Description: This report discusses the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA, and the Working Family Tax Relief Act of 2004 (WFTRA). Since all of the tax reductions provisions of all three of these acts expire at some point in the future, Congress faces the issue of whether to extend and/or make the reductions permanent. Extending these tax reductions, however, is likely to significantly reduce federal revenues in the fu… more
Date: June 10, 2005
Creator: Esenwein, Gregg A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Tax Policy: History and Current Issues

Description: This report discusses the history, current posture, and outlook for the federal energy tax policy. It also discusses current energy tax proposals and major energy tax provisions enacted in the 109th Congress.
Date: June 10, 2008
Creator: Lazzari, Salvatore
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Bush Tax Cuts and the Economy

Description: The George W. Bush Administration enacted a series of tax cuts through the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. This report examines these tax cuts within the context of the current and long-term economic environment.
Date: November 10, 2010
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Bush Tax Cuts and the Economy

Description: The George W. Bush Administration enacted a series of tax cuts through the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. This report examines these tax cuts within the context of the current and long-term economic environment.
Date: December 10, 2010
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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