[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H65]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                TAX RELIEF AND FRIVOLOUS LAWSUIT REFORM

  (Mr. GRAVES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I want to urge my colleagues to focus on 
returning more Americans to work. Although our economy continues to 
grow, I believe we should accelerate the economic recovery to help get 
more Americans back to work as soon as possible by focusing on two 
priorities, tax relief designed to get Americans working again and 
frivolous lawsuit reform. High taxes continue to be a burden on 
American families. Now is the time to accelerate the tax relief we 
passed last Congress, provide incentives to businesses to invest in new 
workers, and provide fair investor tax relief to boost our economic 
recovery.
  We also look for fairness in the legal system. Frivolous lawsuits not 
only clog our court systems, but they cause higher prices for consumers 
and threaten robust job creation. As a result, too many businesses, 
especially small businesses, are investing too much money and paying 
excessive and frivolous punitive damages and not enough money invested 
in health care benefits for workers and new job creation. We must 
protect the rights of individuals who have been wronged, but we should 
not permit frivolous lawsuits at the expense of the American worker and 
consumer.
  Frivolous lawsuit reform and tax relief are the key to healthy 
economic recovery and job creation. The sooner we act, the faster we 
can begin to get Americans back to work.

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