FairTax Bill Introduced In New Congress With Record Number Of Original Co-sponsors

Below is a press release from FairTax lead House sponsor Congressman Rob Woodall who introduced HR 25, The FairTax Act of 2011, on the first day of the new Congress with a record number of original co-sponsors all of whom are listed @ the end of the press release.

WOODALL INTRODUCES FAIRTAX BILL ON DAY ONE WITH

RECORD NUMBER OF ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS

Washington, DC—On Wednesday, January 5, 2011, Congressman Rob Woodall (GA-07) introduced H.R. 25, the FairTax. The FairTax legislation eliminates the current income tax paradigm and replaces it with a system of taxation based on consumption. The bill was introduced on Wednesday with 47 original co-sponsors—the most original co-sponsors the bill has ever had for its initial introduction.

"I committed to the Seventh District of Georgia that my efforts in Congress would focus on reclaiming freedom for the American people. It is for that reason that I am proud to make the FairTax—the only bill that restores transparency and simplicity to our tax code—my very first action in Congress. I have said since its inception that the FairTax is not a tax bill; it is a freedom bill," Woodall said.

Woodall, who was sworn-in to Congress earlier in the day, played an integral role in crafting the original text of the FairTax as former Congressman John Linder's Chief of Staff when the bill was originally introduced in 1999.

"Our current tax system is a bloated, convoluted mess that gives government power over Americans' pockets. With 47 Members of Congress and counting signing their names to the FairTax, we are closer than ever before to voting on legislation that eliminates the frustrating mess that is the IRS."

Although the FairTax was introduced with 47 original co-sponsors, Woodall anticipates adding many more Members of Congress to the bill. Once the FairTax is introduced with the original co-sponsors, Members are able to sign on to the bill as co-sponsors throughout the 112^th Congress.

"The number of signatures on the FairTax this time around is a testament to the will of the people. It is clear that Americans do not want to have their hard-earned money taken away and they want to reclaim the freedom to spend their money how they choose and when they choose."

The list of original co-sponsors is as follows:

1) Tom Price (GA)

2) Brian Bilbray (CA)

3 ) John Carter (TX)

4 ) Michael Conaway (TX)

5 ) John Duncan (TN)

6) Virginia Foxx (NC)

7) Steve King (IA)

8) Michael McCaul (TX)

9) Pete Olson (TX)

10 ) John Sullivan (OK)

11 ) Mac Thornberry (TX)

12) Phil Gingrey (GA)

13) Roscoe Bartlett (MD)

14) Don Young (AK)

15) Ander Crenshaw (FL)

16) Todd Akin (MO)

17) Lynn Westmoreland (GA)

18) Tom Graves (GA)

19) Gus Bilirakis (FL)

20) Ted Poe (TX)

21) Randy Neugebauer (TX)

22) Jeff Miller (FL)

23) Robert Wittman (VA)

24) Jack Kingston (GA)

25) Marlin Stutzman (IN)

26) Jeff Flake (AZ)

27) Billy Long (MO)

28) Cliff Stearns (FL)

29) Tim Walberg (MI)

30) Dennis Ross (FL)

31) Dan Boren (OK)

32) Mo Brooks (AL)

33) Darrell Issa (CA)

34) Richard Nugent (FL)

35) Tim Scott (SC)

36) Blake Farenthold (TX)

37) Jeff Duncan (SC)

38) Rob Bishop (UT)

39) Mike Pence (IN)

40) Sandy Adams (FL)

41) John Mica (FL)

42) Sue Wilkins Myrick (NC)

43) Dan Burton (IN)

44) John Culberson (TX)

45) James Lankford (OK)

46) Mike Pompeo (KS)

47) Gary Miller (CA)