[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 8, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2488, TAXPAYER REFUND AND RELIEF ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with pride to support the conference 
report on H.R. 2488, which provides a sizable tax cut for the American 
taxpayers. I am proud to give taxpayers back their money the federal 
government doesn't need. That's right; the federal government doesn't 
need it. Surplus means the amount in excess of what we spend. And the 
federal government has and will have all it needs plus enough to reform 
Social Security and Medicare and start paying down the debt, and still 
leave a small amount to return to the folks who are sending their hard-
earned dollars to Washington, DC.
  Within hours of the announcement of the conference agreement, my 
office began receiving letters from groups opposing this tax cut. And 
what are they saying? Don't give the money back; spend more money on my 
program.
  The Minority Leader suggests that the amount we're giving back is too 
much; that we have to save the surplus so we have money available for 
entitlement reform.
  Didn't he hear that we're using $3 to save Social Security and 
Medicare, to fund programs and to pay down the debt, for each $1 we are 
giving back to the taxpayers?
  President Clinton says he'll talk about giving a tax cut after we 
provide for Medicare, debt reduction and federal spending.
  Didn't he hear? This bill gives $3 of the surplus to Social Security, 
Medicare, government programs, and debt reduction for every $1 of the 
surplus that it leaves with the taxpayer. Makes one worry about what he 
has in mind for federal spending. Is he thinking about more and bigger 
government programs?
  Mr. Speaker, American taxpayers have been paying and paying and 
paying. The typical American family pays more in taxes than on food, 
clothing and shelter combined. Our tax burden from all government is 
the highest since we were financing a world war in the 40s. In fact, 
without this tax relief bill, the average American household will pay 
$5,307 more in taxes over the next 10 years than the government needs 
to operate.
  We have a good economy; unemployment is at record lows. We don't need 
more government. We do need to scrutinize programs and divert dollars 
from ineffective and wasteful programs to areas that need additional 
funding. But we don't need to increase the size of government.
  Individuals have the right to choose how to spend their money. They 
can choose to tutor their kids, or replace a furnace or air 
conditioner, or help an elderly parent, or support a favorite charity, 
or even save it for their own retirement. They shouldn't have it taken 
from their paycheck before they even see it so that government can use 
it to fund yet another program.
  One administration official called these taxpayers selfish.
  I call the groups who want to spend more of the taxpayers' money 
selfish.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill. Let's return a small 
share of the surplus to the taxpayers. It belongs to them.

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