About Bill Archer

106th Congress

7th District of Texas

[Bill Archer] Congressman Bill Archer, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, represents the 7th Congressional District of Texas. Archer is known nationally as a tough fiscal conservative and is popular among his constituents as a responsive and articulate public servant.

In January, 1995, at the start of the 104th Congress, Archer became Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee - a goal he has long sought to enable him to be the nation's leader on taxes. Archer has modeled his leadership after the late Wilbur Mills, restoring the Committee's tradition of bipartisan lawmaking and frugal internal budget keeping. When Archer took over as Chairman, he cut the Committee staff and budget by more than a third, saving taxpayers over $3 million annually.

On the eve of the 104th Congress, The Houston Chronicle wrote, "The prospect of having Representative Bill Archer (as Chairman) bodes well for Houston and the nation. While Houston cannot expect "a windfall of pork or special tax breaks," wrote The Chronicle, "Even more valuable to the nation than Archer's sound political instincts is his unsullied reputation for principled representation."

Archer was a key player during Congress' efforts to get the 1997 balanced budget with tax relief signed into law. The 1997 budget, which is scheduled to balance by 2002, is the first balanced federal budget since 1969. The $95 billion of tax relief contained within the balanced budget is the first net tax reduction since 1981.

During the budget negotiations, Archer , according to The Washington Post, showed , "steely determination," in his effort to be the key architect of the proposed tax relief. In fact, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram referred to Archer when they stated, "The tax cuts Americans are about to enjoy are largely the product of one man." The Star-Telegram continued, "What mainly drives the Houston lawmaker is his firm belief that less government is better." Archer believes the essential component to downsizing Washington is reducing the amount of money it takes away from the American people.

Specifically, Archer's long time goal of a broad based cut in the capital gains tax, to encourage savings and investment, was achieved in the 1997 budget. In addition, Archer initiatives of easing the death tax, expanding IRAs and providing a $500 per child tax credit for middle-income Americans are now law. As Senator Phil Gramm said, "More than anyone else, this is his (Archer's) tax bill."

Archer also helped extend the life of Medicare for another ten years and, during the 104th Congress, steered welfare and health care reform into law. Included in both the Medicare and health care reform legislation is Archer's tax-free Medical Savings Accounts initiative. An MSA is like a medical IRA that encourages savings and gives consumers control of their health care dollars.

Archer's agenda for the 106th Congress is equally ambitious. Archer will work to reduce fraud in Medicare, continue to study the long term preservation of Medicare and Social Security, and pursue the continued expansion of free trade.

For the long term economic health of our nation, Archer wants to abolish the income tax which is a tax on work and savings and replace it with a tax on the consumption of goods and services. Only a consumption tax gets the IRS out of the individual lives of all Americans. Archer believes a consumption tax is the fairest and simplest tax system which will unleash unprecedented economic growth into the 21st century.

Archer is also a strong proponent of campaign finance reform. This Congress he introduced a bill to eliminate all Political Action Committees (PACs) and require 80% of a candidate's money be raised within their home state. Archer himself does not accept PAC contributions and has never held a Washington fund-raiser.

Bill Archer has served in the 7th District since 1971 when he won the seat previously held by former President George Bush, who remains one of Archer's constituents.