[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 42 (Thursday, April 10, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1396-H1397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, a few listening realize that Congress has 
extraordinary power. One of those powers is to change the calendar and 
the time of day during a legislative session. So the Republican 
leadership has declared today to be April Fools Day, if Members have 
been listening to the speeches.
  If we take the top 1 percent of the people in this country, they own 
40 percent of the wealth. They are telling us from that side of the 
aisle, if we take the top 1 percent who own 40 percent of the wealth in 
America and exempt them from all taxation, we will balance the budget. 
No inheritance taxes for the top 1 percent who own 40 percent of the 
wealth, no capital gains taxes for the top 1 percent who own 40 percent 
of the wealth, but we will balance the budget.
  How is that? Because the little people will pay taxes. All the little 
people who work for those folks will pay taxes, and we will have a 
balanced budget.
  Is it not a wonderful world? Is it not great? We have to love this 
country. If we exempt the wealthy from paying taxes, we will balance 
the budget. The problem today that we do not have a

[[Page H1397]]

balanced budget is because the wealthy are paying a little bit of 
taxes. If they do not pay any, we will all be better off.
  Ho, ho, ho, happy April Fools Day.

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