[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TIME FOR CONGRESS TO PASS THE TAX LIMITATION AMENDMENT

  (Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, the Constitution of the United 
States provides for 10 instances in which a supermajority is required 
for legislative approval. In other words, there are 10 occasions where 
legislators are required to have more than a majority of votes for 
legislative changes to be made. I think we need an 11th. It is time for 
Congress to pass the tax limitation amendment to the Constitution.
  The reasons why should be obvious to all Americans who pay taxes, 
but, just in case, let me explain. The main reason is because 
politicians who run on promises of tax cuts often end up doing exactly 
the opposite. They pass tax increases.
  Just recall for a moment back in 1992 when a certain presidential 
candidate ran on a middle-class tax cut and, surprise, surprise, what 
do we get? We got a tax increase, the largest in U.S. history. Middle-
class families now fork over between a quarter and a half of their 
income to the very politicians who have broken middle-class tax cut 
promises again and again. This amendment will make that a lot more 
difficult.

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