Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 15, 2011

Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits the U.S. government from engaging in any business, professional, commercial, financial, or industrial enterprise except as specified in the Constitution.

Prohibits the constitution or laws of any state, or the laws of the United States, from being subject to the terms of any foreign or domestic agreement which would abrogate this amendment. Requires any activities of the U.S. government which violate the intent and purposes of this amendment to be liquidated and the properties and facilities affected to be sold within three years from the date of ratification of this amendment. Repeals the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution three years after ratification of this amendment and thereafter prohibits Congress from levying taxes on personal incomes, estates, and gifts.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14] · R–TX

Committees

Judiciary Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Mar 15, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 15, 2011
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E489-490)
Mar 15, 2011
Introduced in House
Mar 15, 2011
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Mar 15, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jan 3, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.J.Res.50 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.50, 112th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-joint-resolution/50

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hjres50/BILLS-112hjres50ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-03T01:32:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.J.Res.50 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.J.Res.50 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.50, 112th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-joint-resolution/50

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hjres50/BILLS-112hjres50ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-03T01:32:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.J.Res.50 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.J.Res.50 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.50, 112th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-joint-resolution/50

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hjres50/BILLS-112hjres50ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-03T01:32:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.J.Res.50 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.J.Res.50 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.50, 112th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-joint-resolution/50

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hjres50/BILLS-112hjres50ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-03T01:32:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.J.Res.50 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.