Fact check: Is bill h.r. 25 real?

1. Summary of the results

H.R. 25, known as the Fair Tax Act, is definitively a real bill introduced by Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican-Georgia) on January 3, 2025 ^[1]. The bill proposes a dramatic overhaul of the U.S. tax system by:

• Replacing the current tax code with a national consumption tax ^[1]
• Eliminating personal and corporate income taxes, death taxes, and gift taxes ^[1]
• Abolishing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ^[1]

The bill has garnered support from 11 Republican co-sponsors ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are important to understand:

• The bill has been repeatedly introduced in Congress since 1999, making this the latest iteration of a long-running proposal ^[2]
• The proposed national sales tax would start at 23% in 2025 ^[2]
• According to GovTrack.us, the bill has:
• Only a 1% chance of being enacted
• A 2% chance of getting past committee ^[3]
• The bill currently has "very little support and almost no chance of becoming law in the current Congress" ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The simple question "Is bill h.r. 25 real?" lacks critical context about the bill's viability and history. This could lead to misconceptions about:

• The bill's chances of becoming law
• Its historical context as a recurring proposal
• The extent of its support in Congress

Those who might benefit from promoting this bill without context include:

• Republican politicians seeking to demonstrate action on tax reform
• Anti-IRS advocacy groups
• Organizations promoting consumption-based taxation over income-based taxation
• Conservative media outlets looking to generate discussion about alternative tax systems

The bill's existence should not be confused with its likelihood of passage, which analysis shows is extremely low ^[3].