[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEMOCRAT PLAN WILL SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, AND PROVIDE TARGETED 
                   TAX CUTS TO MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, for the first time in three decades the 
Federal Government has a surplus. The debate: what to do with it. Today 
Democrats want to use the historic $70 billion surplus to save social 
security, save Medicare, and to provide targeted tax cuts to middle 
class families.
  Republicans want to give a one-time tax break that mostly benefits 
the wealthy. The Republican tax plan is unfair and it is ill-advised. A 
10 percent tax cut is a plan that is skewed to the wealthy. If 
Republicans get their way, 60 percent of Americans, the middle class 
backbone of this country, will get a tax rebate of only $100, while the 
wealthy, those making over $300,000, will get a $20,000 tax break.
  Let us take this opportunity to help people. Let us save social 
security and Medicare. Let us look at those targeted tax cuts, like a 
tax cut for long-term health care, school modernization, child care, 
for stay-at-home parents, those that directly benefit working middle 
class families. Let us not squander this once-in-a-lifetime 
opportunity.

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