[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 116 (Thursday, September 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H8085]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                THE TRUTH ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN TAX PLAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues 
to urge this House to engage in a serious and honest debate on modest 
tax relief for the American people. Unfortunately, the Republican Tax 
Plan is nothing more than a thinly-veiled fundraising gimmick.
  The Republican Tax Plan reminds me of the Shakespearean play, Hamlet. 
Hamlet's stepfather Claudius secretly kills Hamlet's father. Claudius 
later marries Hamlet's mother. Claudius attempts to get away with 
murder and don the ill-fitting cloak of kindness to young Hamlet. The 
Republican Tax Plan attempts to kill the spirit of the American people 
who cry out for sensible tax relief. But just as the Ghost the slain 
King sought to be heard, so does the spirit of the American people. We 
Democrats seek to honor this spirit.
  The Republicans know that their risky tax plan has virtually no 
chance of passing. The President will certainly veto the Republican's 
$800 billion risky tax scheme. If the Republican leadership has enough 
votes to override a veto why have they stalled for 35 days and counting 
to send their risky tax scheme to the President's desk?
  The Republican leadership put on a road show this summer to sell 
their 1980's-style voodoo economics to the American people. But the 
American people realized that as we say in Texas, ``That dog don't 
hunt.'' The GOP's risky tax plan would spend virtually all of the 
projected non-Social Security surpluses, would cause $31.8 billion in 
cuts to Medicare within 5 years, and would cut $56 billion out of crop 
insurance, education programs, child support enforcement programs, 
veterans education and readjustment.
  Even Majority Leader Dick Armey admitted that the Republican tax plan 
is not an issue that resonates with voters. After a dismal showing with 
the American voters, Mr. Armey had this to say about the Republican's 
tax plan on CNN Inside Politics, August 18, 1999, ``It is not an issue 
of the heart with the American people today. They want a tax cut, but 
they don't feel a need for one.''
  This is exactly right. The American people want some form of tax 
relief, but not an extreme risky scheme as proposed by the Republican 
leadership. Instead of saving the American people money, the Republican 
plan squanders the surplus on a fiscally irresponsible $3 trillion tax 
cut that would risk America's economic growth and explode the deficit.
  The Democrats are prepared to work with the Republicans on a sensible 
alternative, but the Republican leadership refuses to put the best 
interest of the American people first. Why, you may ask? Chief GOP 
fundraiser, Representative Tom Davis responded thusly to the prospect 
of moderating the Republican's risky tax scheme in order to come closer 
to the Democrats plan for targeted tax relief as opposed to massive 
cuts:
  ``We (Republicans) think cutting a deal is not worth it. The issue 
has been a big money-raiser for us.'' (Washington Times, 9/6/99)
  Instead, of partisan politics, the Republicans should work with the 
Democrats in a bipartisan way. We need to pursue a sound fiscal policy 
by using the surplus to pay down the national debt. We also need to 
continue on the path of debt reduction that will keep our interest 
rates low, sustain the current economic expansion, and allow the 
private sector to create good, high paying jobs.
  Where the Republican leadership seems content to pander to their 
wealthy, special interest contributors, the Democrats seek to target 
our tax cuts to middle-class families. We need to help America's 
families to save some of their earnings for retirement and for their 
children's future and to make it easier for them to address the long-
term care needs of their elderly parents. We urge our Republican 
colleagues to reject their leadership's risky tax scheme and opt for 
more pragmatic legislative tax relief.
  Next week, the House will finally be permitted to debate the Shays-
Meehan Bipartisan Campaign Finance Bill. The GOP will attempt to kill 
this bill through poison-pill amendments, but the Democrats will 
continue the fight for meaningful reform.
  Rather than enacting irresponsible tax cuts that have no chance of 
being enacted into law, the Republicans should join the Democrats in 
enacting legislation that matters--legislation that will strengthen 
Medicare and provide prescription drug coverage, establish a 
comprehensive Patients Bill of Rights, help to keep our schools safe by 
enacting sensible gun-safety measures, and improve our education system 
through school construction and the reduction of class size.

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