A Republican congressman has filed a bill to repeal the 16th Amendment, which allows the federal government the authority to collect an income tax.
Oklahoma Republican Rep. Jim Bridenstine wants to repeal the amendment in order to scrap the complicated federal tax code, get rid of the income tax for individuals and corporations and abolish the Internal Revenue Service.
“The 4th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees ‘The right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.’ The 16th Amendment effectively negates the 4th Amendment,” Bridenstine said in a statement. “The 16th Amendment should be repealed and the IRS should be eliminated.”
“Viable alternative plans for raising revenue fairly to support constitutionally enumerated functions of the federal government have been proposed,” Bridenstine said. “As long as the 16th Amendment is in place and lobbyists dominate Washington, these alternatives will never be considered.”
Bridenstine himself favors the “fair tax,” a kind of national sales tax.
There has been talk of Congress moving forward with tax reform. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Democrat, is working on a tax reform plan, as is Republican Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp in the House.