[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 109 (Thursday, July 29, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H6589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REPUBLICAN TAX PLAN, A BLUEPRINT FOR FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I take the contrary view. The Republican tax 
bill is the new definition of fiscal irresponsibility.
  We have a historic opportunity to pay down the national debt. But the 
Republican plan not only ignores debt retirement, it requires $155 
billion in additional spending on interest on the national debt.
  The party that says it loathes government spending proposes $155 
billion in extra spending, not on education, not on veterans health 
care, not on the environment, but on the Federal equivalent of a credit 
card service charge. Moreover, the Republicans refuse to extend the 
solvency of Social Security and Medicare and instead give a huge tax 
break for the wealthy and special interests. They rejected the 
democratic plan that makes Social Security and Medicare the first 
priority.
  Mr. Speaker, our Nation's current and future retirees deserve more 
than that.
  Finally, the Republican tax bill gives 65 percent of the tax breaks 
to the wealthiest 10 percent. The richest 10 percent do not have 
trouble paying for their children's education, their parents' long-term 
care, or their own health care premiums. Only the Democratic plan 
offers targeted class relief for the middle class.

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