HON. RON PAUL OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2003
Reduce Taxes On Senior Citizens
HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
2003 Ron Paul 8:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce two pieces of legislation to reduce
taxes on senior citizens. The first bill, the Social
Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act,
repeals the 1993 tax increase on Social Security
benefits. Repealing this increase on Social
Security benefits is a good first step toward reducing
the burden imposed by the federal government
on senior citizens. However, imposing
any tax on Social Security benefits is unfair
and illogical. This is why I am also introducing
the Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act, which
repeals all taxes on Social Security benefits.
2003 Ron Paul 8:2
Since Social Security benefits are financed with tax dollars, taxing these benefits is yet
another example of double taxation. Furthermore,
taxing benefits paid by the government
is merely an accounting trick, a shell
game which allows members of Congress to
reduce benefits by subterfuge. This allows
Congress to continue using the Social Security
trust fund as a means of financing other government
programs, and masks the true size of
the federal deficit.
2003 Ron Paul 8:3
Instead of imposing ridiculous taxes on senior citizens, Congress should ensure the integrity
of the Social Security trust fund by ending
the practice of using trust fund moneys for
other programs. In order to accomplish this
goal I introduced the Social Security Preservation
Act (H.R. 219), which ensures that all
money in the Social Security trust fund is
spent solely on Social Security. At a time
when Congress inability to control spending is
once again threatening the Social Security
trust fund, the need for this legislation has
never been greater. When the government
taxes Americans to fund Social Security, it
promises the American people that the money
will be there for them when they retire. Congress
has a moral obligation to keep that
promise.
2003 Ron Paul 8:4
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to help free senior citizens from oppressive
taxation by supporting my Senior Citizens
Tax Elimination Act and my Social Security
Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act. I also urge
my colleagues to ensure that moneys from the
Social Security trust fund are used solely for
Social Security benefits and not wasted on
frivolous government programs.