[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1029-E1030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2001

  Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to take a moment to explain my 
absence from the House on Saturday, May 26. After the Senate passed its 
version of the tax cut bill on Wednesday of that week, the Senate 
version and the House version were sent to conference committee to 
produce a compromise final bill that both houses would vote on.
  Following Senate passage, most observers expected the conference 
report to be ready for a final vote on Thursday, or at the very latest 
on Friday. However, negotiations dragged on with members receiving only 
periodic, gloomy updates. Finally, an agreement was announced late 
Friday night. I spent the entire night in my office waiting for a vote 
that was promised by 2 or 3 a.m. No vote was called.
  At 8 a.m. Saturday, I boarded an Amtrak train to attend my son's 
graduation from the Hill School in Pottstown, PA later in the morning. 
This was the last train that I could take and still make my son's 
graduation. The House voted on the bill about two hours after I left 
Washington. I apologize to my constituents for not being able to vote 
on what I believe to be a very flawed tax bill, but I believe the vast 
majority will understand why I chose not to be there.
  Had I been present to vote, I would have voted against the tax bill. 
Not because I don't think there should be a tax cut, but because this 
one is simply too big, is heavily titled to the wealthy, is filled with 
fiscal gimmicks, and threatens to plunge this country back into deficit 
spending.
  I support an immediate rebate to the American people, and actually 
supported a larger rebate than was in the bill from the outset of the 
tax debate. I also conceptually support several other items in the tax 
cut such as fixing the marriage penalty, reforming the estate tax and 
providing tuition tax credits. However this bill simply went overboard 
and threatens the fiscal discipline we have shown over the last several 
years.
  The folly of this tax cut will be shown as the President tries to pay 
for items like increased

[[Page E1030]]

defense spending and education reforms that he has not accounted for in 
the budget, and for years to come as the tax cut is fully phased in and 
scarce revenue is needed to meet our national retirement and health 
care obligations to the growing number of older Americans.

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