[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 8 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CALLING FOR A FREEZE ON FURTHER TAX CUTS

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, there will be a unique opportunity today to 
do more than pass a birthday resolution for President Reagan. Students 
of history will remember that massive tax cuts passed in the first year 
of President Ronald Reagan's term. Just 1 year later, as deficits began 
to grow, President Reagan showed his mettle by joining with a 
Republican Senate and a Democratic House to pass into law the Tax 
Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, raising taxes in the face 
of a deficit. And then he signed into law several other tax increases, 
including the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984.
  But today the Republican President and the Republican House leaders 
do not have the vision and the gumption of the former President. The 
same day that they will pass his birthday resolution, they are going to 
also pass a resolution saying despite the huge and mounting deficits 
just like in the first term of President Reagan, they are going to hold 
steady to the huge tax increases tilted toward the wealthiest in this 
country.
  It would be more appropriate and more fitting to recognize the spirit 
and the leadership of Ronald Reagan by admitting you were wrong and 
rescinding or freezing further tax cuts and dealing with the deficit 
honestly in this House.

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