[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 102 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H5409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans are beginning to fear that 
they are not going to be able to win the President's support for their 
tax cut plan for the rich. So what do they do? They threaten to shut 
down the Government again.
  Many Americans remember in the last session of Congress when the 
Republicans did not get their way and so they decided to shut down the 
Government. Now the Speaker fears he will not get his way with his tax 
cuts for the rich so he wants to hold the Government hostage once 
again.
  Mr. Gingrich told a meeting of Ways and Means Republicans Wednesday 
that the GOP-controlled Congress would not send any appropriation bills 
to the President for his signature until the President signs a 
Republican tax cut plan. This is according to two GOP sources that 
spoke to Congress Daily.
  Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have been working hard to push our plan 
that would truly benefit middle-income families. Unfortunately, the 
Republican leadership is not honoring the agreement they made with the 
American people. First they broke their promise to middle-class 
Americans, and now they want to shut the Government down again.

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