[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 47 (Monday, April 15, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              TAX DAY 1996

  (Mr. SHADEGG asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, on tax day 1996, today, we have a chance to 
amend the U.S. Constitution to require a supermajority to raise taxes. 
The last speaker on the opposite side of the aisle ridiculed the notion 
that it was difficult to raise taxes. In fact, she said that it is very 
hard to raise taxes, one of the most difficult of all votes.
  Since 1980 this Congress has raised taxes six times. Each of those 
times it has increased the burden on the average American taxpayer. In 
my lifetime, that burden has been increased 1,200 percent. I do not 
know a constituent who believes they are getting 1,200 percent more out 
of the Federal Government today than they were in 1950.
  The premise underlying this constitutional amendment is 
straightforward. It is one of fiscal responsibility. If you believe 
this Congress must be more responsible about spending the money it has, 
then you believe you must vote for this constitutional amendment, 
because by making it somewhat more difficult to take taxes out of the 
pockets of the American taxpayer, we will force ourselves to spend the 
money we have more prudently.
  I urge passage of the amendment.

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