[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H5464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          STATISTICS DO MATTER

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, the pollsters and political pundits tell us 
not to use statistics in our speeches. They tell us people's eyes glaze 
over at hearing the numbers. No matter. Honest statistics do matter.
  When this administration came to power in 1993, the Federal 
Government took in 17.8 percent of our gross domestic product in taxes. 
Today, that share is 20.7 percent. Let us hear those numbers again, 
because they are important in discussing whether or not tax cuts are a 
good idea. They are also numbers that we will never, ever hear the 
other side refer to. Ever.
  In 1993, when this administration came to power, the Federal taxes 
were 17.8 of the economy. Today, the tax burden is 20.7 percent of the 
economy. In other words, the Federal tax burden is at a record 
peacetime level.
  Taxes are higher than they need to be so that Washington can spend 
more and more money creating new programs and expanding old ones and 
giving us less power and control over our lives. One-fifth of the 
economy in Federal taxes is just too much.

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