We, the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition the United States Congress for a redress of grievances under the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The federal income tax places a heavy burden on American workers and families at a time of significant economic hardship and widespread government mismanagement of taxpayer funds. Despite some cooling, inflation remains elevated at approximately 2.7% as of late 2025, far above pre-pandemic levels, driving up the costs of essentials like food, housing, utilities, and energy. Many households continue to struggle with affordability, with prices for everyday goods and services having risen sharply in recent years.

Recent policies, including higher tariffs, have contributed to increased consumer prices, while slower wage growth and rising unemployment have left families with less take-home pay. Additionally, millions of Americans face dramatic increases in health insurance premiums in 2026 due to the expiration of enhanced subsidies, further straining household budgets.

Compounding these challenges is the federal government's persistent failure to responsibly manage the trillions of dollars collected from taxpayers. For instance, the Department of Defense (Pentagon) failed its eighth consecutive financial audit in fiscal year 2025, identifying 26 material weaknesses and two significant deficiencies, rendering it unable to fully account for $4.65 trillion in assets and $4.7 trillion in liabilities. This ongoing inability to pass a basic audit highlights systemic waste and lack of accountability in the nation's largest federal agency.

Furthermore, scandals involving fraud in federal daycare and child care programs have exposed billions in misappropriated funds. In late 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services froze child care payments to states like Minnesota amid federal investigations into widespread fraud, including a $250 million scheme where funds intended for child nutrition were diverted for personal gain. Viral reports and raids on suspected fraudulent daycares underscore how taxpayer dollars meant to support families are instead lost to abuse in social services programs.

These issues are part of broader misappropriations across the government, with federal agencies reporting an estimated $162 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2024 alone. Payments that should not have been made or were issued in incorrect amounts. Examples include fraudulent claims in welfare programs like SNAP and Medicaid, wasteful spending on foreign aid through agencies like USAID (such as funding projects that benefited adversaries), and unchecked expenditures during the prior administration that contributed to record deficits exceeding $840 billion in the first four months of fiscal year 2025. Such fraud, waste, and abuse erode public trust and divert resources from essential services, all while hardworking Americans bear the tax burden.

In this environment of ongoing financial stress and fiscal irresponsibility, the federal income tax reduces disposable income, complicates family finances, and hinders economic recovery for hardworking Americans.

We respectfully request that Congress pass legislation to temporarily suspend the collection of federal income taxes for a period of 2 years, effective immediately, to provide urgent relief, allow families to keep more of their earnings, stimulate consumer spending, and support broader economic growth while Congress pursues long-term tax reform and addresses government waste.

This suspension would give citizens breathing room amid these challenges and enable exploration of fairer funding alternatives for essential government services.

We urge members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to introduce, support, and pass such legislation without delay.