[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H4230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TIME TO CELEBRATE FIRST TAX CUT IN 16 YEARS

  (Mr. SMITH of Michigan asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago when I first came to 
this Chamber, the debate was whether or not to increase taxes on 
Americans in this country by $250 billion over that 5-year period? 
Tomorrow I think we all should celebrate, Republicans and Democrats, 
because Congress is passing the first tax cut in 16 years. We talk 
about whether it is for the rich or the poor, but it seems to me that 
some of our focus should be on what is going to be the kind of tax 
incentives that result in better and more jobs that pay more, that 
allow the individual to have a larger paycheck and increase their 
standard of living.
  Here is my opinion. This country became great because we had a system 
where those that worked hard and tried and made an effort and saved and 
invested ended up better off than those that did not. Now we have got 
people suggesting we should have a tax system to level the playing 
field, to punish those that saved and invested and to reward those that 
did not. We should celebrate our tax cut tomorrow. That gives tax cuts 
to working American families.

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