[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 59 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            TAX FREEDOM DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, it has been a long day. The Chamber is 
thinning out. Members are on their way back to their districts. But 
tomorrow is coming. Tomorrow, May 9, is Tax Freedom Day, the day that 
working Americans can finally begin to keep the money they earn rather 
than paying it to the Government in taxes.
  The fact is the tax burden most Americans face has been increasing 
every year. I am pleased that Congress, through the balanced budget 
agreement reached with the President, is actively pursuing some relief 
in the areas of the family tax credit, capital gains, and estate tax 
relief.
  The budget agreement provides for a total of $135 billion in tax 
relief over the next 5 years. That is a big step. I hope this will be a 
first step on a longer road toward true tax relief, including real tax 
reform. Congress has to find ways to provide additional relief and give 
due consideration to alternatives to the current tax system, which is 
unfair and inefficient.
  Mr. Speaker, dare we look forward to a day when the average American 
no longer spends more in total taxes than on food, clothing, and 
housing combined? We are spending more on taxes than we are spending on 
food, clothing, and housing for our families. Something is wrong.
  Washington speaks of this beginning tax relief as Washington's 
generosity. I have a bulletin for taxpayers: It is not Washington's 
money, it is your money. Yes, most Americans agree we should pay some 
taxes; a safety net for the less fortunate, national defense, things 
like that we all understand. Most Americans also agree we are now taxed 
too much to support too much government.
  But I think all Americans, every American, agrees that not every 
hard-earned dollar sent to Washington is well spent by Washington. 
There is waste and fraud and abuse and redundancy and patronage and 
other spending foolishness, and we all know it. So spend smarter and 
less, and tax smaller and fairer. That would be a very good wake-up 
call tomorrow morning across our land on Tax Freedom Day.
  I wonder how many Americans, Mr. Speaker, remember back to New Year's 
Eve, December 31, 1996? I wonder how many Americans know that ever 
since then, every dollar earned by the average American worker has been 
taken for taxation by the Government. I wonder how many Americans are 
as disgusted by that fact as I am.

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