A Missouri Congressman says America’s tax code is 55 times larger than the King James Bible.

Congressman Jason Smith (R-Missouri)

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, who represents 30 counties in southern Missouri, plans to visit 15 district counties this week.

Smith says there hasn’t been a comprehensive tax code rewrite since 1986.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen the tax code change more than 6,000 times since 2001,” Smith says. “Imagine that, that’s more than one change a day since 2001.”

The Salem Republican says he had dinner with Vice President Mike Pence this month, to discuss comprehensive tax reform.

“What I told him (Vice President Pence) is that we need to make sure tax reform affects all Americans,” says Smith. “Especially the folks in rural America and that means rural Missouri.”

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, has criticized President Donald Trump’s tax plan, saying it would provide tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires.

Cleaver has said that Congress should not provide additional tax cuts to the wealthy, at the expense of working families.

Smith tells Missourinet he disagrees with Democrats in Congress who say Republicans are pushing tax reform to benefit the rich.

“Increasing the standard deduction to $12,000 for an individual or $24,000 for a family is for everyone,” Smith says.

Smith says the House GOP plan would provide a tax cut for every American.

He’ll be visiting 15 counties in his sprawling southern Missouri district this week.

The 8th district, which covers about 20,000 square miles, is Missouri’s largest congressional district.

Smith will be speaking to schools, small businesses and civic organizations. He’ll also visit the Poplar Bluff Sheltered Workshop, the Rolla Regional Economic Commission and the Iron County Medical Center in Pilot Knob.

 

Click here to listen to the full eight-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and House GOP Conference Secretary Jason Smith, which was recorded on October 13, 2017: