WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, responded to the Ways and Means Committee markup and "unfavorable" report on his Resolution of Inquiry. The resolution was voted down in a XXXX-XXXX vote.

"What are they hiding? Our constituents are demanding that we make a case for transparency. The committee majority acted today to hide the President’s secrets, to bury their heads in the sand, and prove derelict in their duty to protect our institutions, our Constitution, and our country as we know it," Rep. Pascrell said. "As in any good investigation, we must follow the money. We will continue to make the case until Mr. Trump's returns see the light of day."

The resolution directed Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) to submit a formal request to the Secretary of the Treasury for President Trump’s tax returns for tax years 2006 through 2015, as well as financial documentation that details debts held by foreign governments and foreign companies; investments in foreign countries and foreign enterprises; and use of any tax shelters, corporate structures, tax avoidance maneuvers, abatements, or other loopholes to reduce or eliminate tax liability.

Rep. Pascrell's Resolution of Inquiry follows a bipartisan letter with 164 members of Congress calling on Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ways and Means Chairman Brady to similarly submit a formal request to the Secretary of the Treasury for President Trump’s tax returns for each of the past ten years.

A Resolution of Inquiry is a legislative tool that has privileged parliamentary status, meaning it can be brought to the floor if the relevant Committee hasn’t reported it within 14 legislative days, even if the Majority leadership has not scheduled it for a vote. Once introduced, the Committee must schedule a Markup in that set time, which means there has to be debate and the Committee must vote on the Resolution. The Committee can report the Resolution "unfavorably" after Markup to prevent it from going to the floor, otherwise it can be raised for a vote before the full House of Representatives.