Flat Tax Act of 2005
Latest action. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: continuing resolutionA stopgap law funding the government at existing levels when the annual appropriations bills are not done by October 1.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) S3742-3747)
Flat Tax Act of 2005 - Replaces the income tax with a flat tax of 20 percent of taxable earned income of individual taxpayers. Defines "taxable earned income" as the excess of earned income (wages, salaries, professional fees) over a standard deduction, a deduction for cash charitable contributions, and a deduction for home mortgage interest. Sets forth definitions and special rules for surviving spouses, heads of household, and dependents.
Imposes a flat tax of 20 percent on business taxable income. Defines "business taxable income" as gross active income (other than investment income) reduced by: (1) the cost of business inputs (cost of specified goods, services, travel, and entertainment expenditures); (2) employee compensation; and (3) the cost of personal and real property used in business activities. Disallows a deduction from gross active business income for purchases of goods and services provided to employees or owners and certain lobbying and political expenditures.
Repeals: (1) estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes; (2) financing of presidential election campaigns provisions; and (3) coal industry health benefits provisions.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on April 15, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on April 15, 2005: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3742-3747)
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA) introduced it on April 15, 2005. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 15, 2005, 7818 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7818 days ago, on April 15, 2005.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIntroduced, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers