[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H4439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TODAY IS TAX FREEDOM DAY

  (Mr. LINDER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, today is tax freedom day. May 7 is the day 
we stop working to pay our tax bill and the day we begin to work for 
ourselves and our families.
  Incredibly, the average American must work from January 1 through 
today just to earn enough money to pay his or her share of State, 
local, and Federal taxes. Only tomorrow will Americans begin to work 
for themselves.
  Many believe that on April 15 we are through with taxes for awhile. 
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, on average, Americans 
spend 2 hours and 47 minutess each day working just to pay their taxes.
  Liberal politicians and the special interest groups mistakenly 
believe raising the minimum wage will help working Americans. 
Increasing the minimum wage will cost jobs and increase workers' tax 
burdens. If we really want families to earn more, keep more, and do 
more, the Government must stop taking so much from each paycheck.

  Consider this. The working Americans that Bill Clinton says he is 
concerned about must earn more than $3 to buy a gallon of milk that 
costs less than $2. Let's cut taxes and make the Government spend less 
so that Americans may spend more of their hard-earned money.

                          ____________________