[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 42 (Thursday, April 10, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICANS SHOULD FIGHT FOR TAX RELIEF
(Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, in 1980 the Federal revenue was about $500
billion. We then had the Reagan tax cuts, and by 1990 the Federal
revenue was over $1 trillion. It doubled in a decade. Mr. Speaker, if
we could double our Federal revenue in the next decade, we would go
from an income or revenue of $1.5 trillion to $3 trillion. We could
balance the Federal budget with $3 trillion income.
However, the opponents to tax relief say you cannot cut estate taxes,
which we all know as death taxes. We are taxed all of our lives, and
then now we have a tax when people die. We cannot eliminate death
taxes, because that is only 1,400 people. We cannot cut capital gains
taxes, because that is only the wealthy. We cannot even give tax relief
to families, $500 per child, because there is no revenue generated from
that.
Well, this country can get tax relief. We are taxed too high, and we
can do it and still see an increase in the Federal revenue. Do not
believe all the demagoguery. Fight for tax relief. I urge my colleagues
to vote for tax relief as soon as we can get it to the floor.
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