[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 42 (Tuesday, April 16, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H1293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BUSH TAX CUTS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday millions of Americans lined up at 
post offices all over the country to get their taxes in on time. And 
once again, as this poster illustrates, the average American family 
spent more on taxes last year than food, clothing, shelter, and 
transportation combined.
  Once again, the average wage earner spends the first 3 hours of an 8-
hour working day laboring just to pay his taxes. Once again, the 
equivalent of every paycheck from January to the middle of May goes 
just to pay taxes.
  Mr. Speaker, last year we joined the President in passing much-needed 
tax relief for the American people. But because of opposition from the 
big spenders in the other body, there is a sunset clause in the law. In 
other words, unless we vote to make the tax cuts permanent, everyone 
will get a big tax hike, the marriage penalty tax will come back, the 
death tax will come back, the child tax credit will be cut in half, 
IRAs will be cut by $3,000, and the economy will suffer.
  This week we will vote on a bill to prevent this from happening. I 
urge my colleagues to support the effort to make the tax relief 
permanent for the American people.

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