House passes IRS Reform Bill

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Thursday, June 25, 1998 | 4:14 a.m.

Congressmen John Ensign and Jim Gibbons, both R-Nev., secured an agreement to include the Worker Meals Fairness Act as part of the IRS Reform Bill. Under the agreement, any company with 50 percent or more of its employees eligible for free on-site meals would be exempt from the IRS tax.

The measure now goes to the Senate.

"This bill takes a major step toward getting the IRS off the backs and out of the lives of working people throughout Nevada and across the country," Ensign said. "The meals tax provision is probably the best example of how we are succeeding in stopping the IRS from terrorizing working families."

Ensign issued a news release on Monday taking credit for killing the proposed meal tax and then reiterated that in another release on Wednesday.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Ensign's release, which some considered premature, embarrassed House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Ensign denied the report.

Gibbons said Thursday that Ensign deserves enormous credit for killing the proposal.