[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 64 (Thursday, April 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       THE DEFICIT EXPLOSION ACT

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, on the path to approve the Deficit 
Explosion Act last night, otherwise known as the campaign tax cut bill, 
the Gingrichites hit a roadblock. How they dealt with that roadblock 
was significant implications for the future of this Congress and this 
country.
  You will recall that on day one a rule was approved here requiring a 
three-fifths' vote for a tax hike. In all the talk of capital gains tax 
reduction yesterday, overlooked was the fact that the capital gains 
taxes were actually raised from 14 percent to 19 percent for many small 
companies in this country.
  How was that dealt with when it came time to apply the three-fifths' 
vote requirement? It was dodged, it was hedged. Instead they turned to 
the captive consultants of the Joint Tax Committee, who told us that we 
did not need a three-fifths vote because the basis for this conclusion 
relates generally to the fact that this provision would be inoperative 
as it relates to current law after the enactment of the pending 
legislation.
  Meaningless gobbledygook. If you strike a provision in one place and 
add another, it is not a tax increase? Well, taxpayer protection bit 
the dust last night.

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