[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 139 (Sunday, October 29, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H11506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      PRESIDENT THREATENS TO VETO FEDERAL EXCISE TAX ON TELEPHONES

  (Mr. PORTMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, we are still here tonight for one very 
simple reason. We are here with another battling with the President of 
the United States. He would like us to spend more money, and he would 
like us not to cut taxes for the American people. It is unbelievable.
  As we are working here tonight, the President is threatening to veto 
very reasonable, even targeted tax relief that helps people save more 
for retirement, helps people obtain health care, helps people be able 
to improve our schools and construct more schools around this country.
  He has even threatened to veto tonight the repeal of the Federal 
excise tax on telephones. This is the 1898 temporary luxury tax put in 
place on telephones that lives on today. This tax hits particularly 
people that have fixed incomes very hard.
  Think about it, everyone in America needs a telephone. It is very 
important to those of us who are worried about our economy and worried 
about what is going to keep our economy going that telecommunications 
not be taxed. Yet the President believes this tax, this 3 percent tax 
that is on every one of our phone bills that goes into general revenues 
that was put in place in 1898 as a temporary luxury tax ought to 
continue in existence.
  We have a surplus all created by the American people. Let us hope 
this President begins to give a little meaningful, serious, reasonable 
tax relief.

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