WASHINGTON, D.C. March 28, 2017 – Members of the House Ways and Means Committee have a chance to stand up for accountability, transparency and honest government today, as the Committee is scheduled to vote on a resolution to direct the Treasury Secretary to provide President Trump’s federal tax returns to Congress.

“This is an issue that the American people care a great deal about, as evidenced by public polls and by the strong demands being registered at congressional town halls across the country. It’s important for members of the Ways and Means Committee be on the record. This vote is an opportunity to bring more accountability, transparency and honesty to our political system,” said Americans for Tax Fairness Executive Director Frank Clemente. “If this resolution fails, the public should know which members of Congress are continuing to allow President Trump to hide his business dealings and possible conflicts of interests, and the ways that he could gain personally from his tax plan.”

  1. Res. 186, introduced by Congressman Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., directs the Treasury Department to provide the House of Representatives with President Trump’s full tax returns for tax years 2006-2015, and asks for other financial documentation that specifies President Trump’s:
  • debts held by foreign governments and foreign companies;
  • investments in foreign countries and foreign enterprises; and
  • use of any tax shelters, corporate structures, tax avoidance maneuvers, abatements, or other loopholes to reduce or eliminate tax liability.

This is important to the American people.  A recent Washington Post poll found that 74% say Trump should release his tax returns – including a majority of Republicans (53%). More than one million people signed an official White House petition calling on President Trump to release his tax returns, which overwhelmingly broke the record for the most signatures on an official White House petition.

As a resolution of inquiry, a House Committee is required to markup H.Res. 186 within 14 legislative days of introduction. It was introduced on March 9. The resolution would make the documents available to members of Congress and their staff, not to the public.

Americans for Tax Fairness previously issued letters of support for the Presidential Tax Transparency Act, introduced by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (S.26) and Representative Anna Eshoo, D-Calif. (H.R. 305). The letters urged senators and members of the House to co-sponsor S.26 and H.R. 305, respectively. The Presidential Tax Transparency Act has not yet been scheduled for markup in either chamber.

Americans for Tax Fairness is a diverse coalition of 425 national and state endorsing organizations that collectively represent tens of millions of members. The organization was formed on the belief that the country needs comprehensive, progressive tax reform that results in greater revenue to meet our growing needs. ATF is playing a central role in Washington and in the states on federal tax-reform issues.