[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 71 (Tuesday, June 4, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H3075-H3076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PERMANENT DEATH TAX REPEAL

  (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, in politics, money often equals power. When 
Washington takes more money from the American people, the government 
becomes more powerful and the people lose just as much control over 
their own lives.
  A year ago, Congress took the dramatic step of returning power to the 
people. We passed the largest tax relief package since the Reagan 
administration, and it was relief that benefitted

[[Page H3076]]

every American taxpayer. But because there was liberal opposition in 
the Senate, we had to agree to a sunset provision. In 10 years, the 
marriage penalty, the death tax, and a whole host of other taxes will 
shoot right back up to where they were unless we make them permanent.
  This week, we will be voting to make the death tax repeal permanent. 
For years, the death tax has taken as much as 55 to 60 percent of the 
value of a family farm or small business just to pay the taxes. This is 
a terrible tax and we should get rid of it for good.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, return power to the 
American people, and get rid of the death tax once and for all.

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