Remembering Bill Archer | Tax Foundation

Over the July 4th weekend, the Honorable William Reynolds Archer Jr. passed away at the age of 98. Mr. Archer served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1967 to 1971 and the US House of Representatives from 1971 to 2001, including as Chairman of the House Ways and Means CommitteeThe Committee on Ways and Means, more commonly referred to as the House Ways and Means Committee, is the chief tax-writing committee in the US. The House Ways and Means Committee has jurisdiction over all bills relating to taxes and other revenue generation, as well as spending programs like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance, among others. from 1995 until the end of his time in public service.

“On behalf of the entire TaxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. Foundation team, I want to send our deepest condolences to the Archer family,” said Daniel Bunn, president and CEO of the Tax Foundation. “‘Thank you’ will never be enough to sufficiently cover the legacy that Mr. Archer leaves behind—not just for Tax Foundation, but for the entire tax policy community. His dedication to principles, his championing of bipartisanship and fiscal responsibility, and most importantly his commitment to helping the next generation leaves not just our organization in a stronger place, but our entire nation.”

A two-time recipient of the Tax Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award, Mr. Archer became the first in a line of Ways and Means Chairmen to join the Tax Foundation’s board, shortly after his tenure as chair of the nation’s tax-writing committee.

Mr. Archer’s legacy is second to none. Prior to taking over the gavel of the Ways and Means Committee, he had already earned a reputation as an energetic, principled policymaker committed to bipartisanship. On the eve of the 104th Congress, The Houston Chronicle wrote: “The prospect of having Representative Archer [as Chairman] bodes well for Houston and the nation.” While Houston could not expect “a windfall of pork or special tax breaks,” the Chronicle noted, “even more valuable to the nation than Archer’s sound political instincts is his unsullied reputation for principled representation.”

Among Mr. Archer’s many accomplishments in the House of Representatives is the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, which offered nearly two decades of budget stability while providing tax relief. He also helped ease the estate taxAn estate tax is imposed on the net value of an individual’s taxable estate, after any exclusions or credits, at the time of death. The tax is paid by the estate itself before assets are distributed to heirs., expanded access to retirement and health savings accounts, and established the first iteration of the child tax credit.

Shortly after joining the Tax Foundation’s board, Mr. Archer brought the same optimism to our offices as he did everywhere he served. During one of our campaigns, Mr. Archer wrote: “I am convinced that to cut taxes, we have to win the debates. … The best strategy for doing that is to support the work of the Tax Foundation.”

“Bill was a mentor, inspiration, and friend,” said David Lewis, Chairman of the Board of the Tax Foundation. “He was a leader who was generous with his talents and time, who embodied the spirit of public service and who truly wanted to use tax policy to improve lives and our economy. My prayers are with the Archer family and all those whose lives he impacted during his extraordinary life of service.”

Mr. Archer served on the Tax Foundation’s Board of Directors from 2003 to 2017, a tenure marked by the same generosity and clear-eyed principle that defined his decades in Congress. He leaves behind a policy legacy that shaped the tax code for a generation—and an example of public service for which the Tax Foundation, and the United States of Ameria, are better. To learn more about his life and legacy, please visit The Archer Center.