[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 95 (Tuesday, July 8, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H4843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CRAFTING A BALANCED BUDGET RESOLUTION

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, now that we have returned from the 
Independence Day district work period, negotiators between the House 
and the Senate will get down to business hammering out a final version 
of the balanced budget resolution. Democrats have argued in favor of 
tax cuts primarily for the middle class while Republicans seem intent 
on large tax breaks for their wealthy friends. A recent Treasury 
Department report indicated that in the last year of the Republican 
budget proposal, affluent Americans would be the primary beneficiaries 
of the tax cuts. Over half of the tax cuts would benefit those making 
nearly a quarter of a million dollars and more. President Clinton's and 
other Democratic proposals seek to give more back to the middle class. 
Our tax proposals provide more money for education expenses and for 
working families.
  Mr. Speaker, the budget negotiators must move to lighten the burden 
on low- and middle-income families if they are to gain the President's 
approval and not break the promises that were made to working families 
as part of this budget deal.

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