[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMMEMORATING TAX FREEDOM DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Shimkus] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Republican 
leadership, the President, and the Democratic leadership on coming 
together to balance the Federal budget and also to commemorate Tax 
Freedom Day for all taxpaying Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, before being elected to represent the 20th district of 
Illinois, I spent 6 years as the Madison County treasurer. After 
inheriting an office of 30 employees from the previous treasurer, I 
reduced the office staff to 20, automated the office, and returned a 
$20,000 pay raise to the people of Madison County.
  This was not easy for me or my family to do, but I felt the sacrifice 
was necessary to begin streamlining what I thought was a bureaucratic 
office, while providing better, more efficient service, and saving the 
hard-earned money of the taxpayers of Madison County. However, this 
kind of sacrifice is not uncommon in Madison County or America.
  Mr. Speaker, every year millions of taxpaying Americans must tighten 
their belts to make the car payment, pay off the mortgage on their 
homes, feed their children, and pay their taxes. However, we should 
endeavor to change our budget and tax codes so that Americans might 
better provide for their family, instead of working over 5 months of 
the year simply to pay taxes to the Government.
  Because of the recent balanced budget agreement made by our Nation's 
leaders, almost every taxpayer will better be able to provide for their 
family without worrying about an ever increasing debt to be handed to 
our children.
  Mr. Speaker, if we continue to spend at our current rates and if we 
continue to let our deficit balloon, our children and my children will 
inherit a debt from which they may never recover. If they are not in 
bed tonight, my sons are watching. To David, who is 4, and Joshua, who 
is 2, I say, I am working late tonight to secure your future. I love 
and miss you and will see you soon.
  It is my hope that on Tax Freedom Day, May 9, 1997, we can celebrate 
the resurgence of a budget philosophy which we have not adopted since 
1969, and that is to spend only as much as we take in, as does every 
American taxpayer. For the future of our country and for the future of 
our children, we must sacrifice and tighten our belts.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Government, as a body, and as representatives of 
the people, we have an obligation to the American people to hold the 
line on taxes and wasteful Government spending. We have an obligation 
to work to move Tax Freedom Day to April 9, and then to March 9, and so 
on.
  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the people of the 20th district and I 
want to again thank the Republican and Democratic leadership and the 
President for agreeing on a balanced budget plan. We thank them for 
confronting unnecessary tax burdens, making it easier for working 
families and the forgotten middle class to provide for their children 
and for working to ease the burden which rests on the shoulders of the 
American taxpayer.
  The family farmers thank them for working for relief from the death 
tax. The small business owners, homeowners and entrepreneurs thank them 
for capital gains tax relief. The seniors thank them for saving 
Medicare, guaranteeing its solvency into the next century. Millions of 
children thank them for the $500 per child tax credit. All Americans, 
including future generations, thank them for planning to balance the 
budget by 2002.

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