[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 41 (Wednesday, April 9, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IT IS TIME TO CUT TAXES

  (Mr. JONES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, on February 13, 1913, a day that will live in 
infamy, the 16th amendment to the Constitution was ratified.
  Twelve words, Mr. Speaker, just 12 words was all it took to give the 
politicians in Washington a permanent hand in the pocket of every 
working person in America. ``The Congress shall have the power to lay 
and collect taxes on incomes.'' The rest, Mr. Speaker, is history.
  Who could have guessed that those 12 words would lead to our present 
state of affairs where the average family pays more in taxes than it 
pays for clothing, housing, and food combined.
  Mr. Speaker, that is not right. This is about fairness. It is not 
fair that the family living from paycheck to paycheck struggles to make 
ends meet. It is not fair that taxpayers should have to send over one-
third of their income to the politicians in Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, taxes are too high. It is time to cut taxes for the 
American people.

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