Mr. SCHRADER. In my home State of Oregon, 98 percent of our businesses are small businesses. In fact, small businesses employ 57 percent of Oregon's workforce. During Small Business Appreciation Week, I want to commend all of the small business owners in my home State and across the country who drive the economy and keep the dream of American entrepreneurship alive.
It is with that in mind that I speak about an issue that all small business owners face: the complexity of our Tax Code. Whether we're talking about dollars spent or time lost, tax complexity is an enormous drain for small businesses. With 3.7 million words, 70,000 pages, individuals and companies spend close to $265 billion just to fill out their taxes. Sadly, our small business entrepreneurs pay the majority of that.
That's why I introduced H.R. 1509, the Home Office Deduction Simplification Act that would provide small businesses with a simple $1,500 home office deduction to claim a credit that very few use today.
During Small Business Appreciation Week, I encourage all Members to consider ways to aid small businesses. END
