[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 97 (Thursday, July 10, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H5029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THE REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL CONTAINS A GOOD MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUT

  (Mr. WELDON of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we need to talk about exactly who 
is paying for the cost of Government in Washington, DC, and what effect 
that will have after we pass our tax cut. We have heard a lot of talk 
about this being so-called tax cuts for the rich.
  Mr. Speaker, this chart I have next to me is based on data from the 
Joint Economic Committee, and the data that they obtained from the 
Treasury Department. They break the American public into five 
categories. The lowest 20 percent of earners are now paying, in the 
yellow, 1 percent of the cost of big Government. After the tax package 
is passed they will continue to pay 1 percent of the cost of Government 
in Washington, DC.
  The next 20 percent are currently paying 4 percent, and they will be 
paying, after this tax cut package, 4 percent.
  I would like to draw the attention of my colleagues on the other side 
of the aisle to the upper 20 percent. They are now, today, in America, 
picking up 63 percent of the cost of Government in Washington. Guess 
what? After the Republican tax cut, they will continue to pay 63 
percent of the cost of Government in Washington.
  I appeal to my colleagues, this is a good middle class tax cut.

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