[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 84 (Thursday, June 17, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H4292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CONGRESS OWES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BETTER

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, later today the House will vote to solve a 
$4 billion tax problem with a $150 billion solution. My Republican 
colleagues actually wonder why they lost the South Dakota and Kentucky 
special elections.
  This legislation and the energy bills we just passed have two things 
in common: They are filled with tax breaks and giveaways to the biggest 
special interests and donors in this town. While corporate tax rates 
are at their lowest level in decades, and as our workers are 
experiencing the slowest wage growth since World War II, this bill is a 
special interest gift that keeps on giving.
  Here are some of the handouts: $14 billion to the energy, big oil 
companies; $10 billion for a Federal buyout of tobacco; $519 million 
for small aircraft companies; $92 million for suspension of duties on 
ceiling fans; $169 million for makers of Puerto Rican rum.
  Mr. Speaker, think about this, $10 billion for a tobacco buyout, and 
we cannot finish a highway and mass transit bill that puts millions of 
Americans to work. Maybe what we should do is pave the roads with 
tobacco around here. All the while, Americans are suffering with rising 
health care costs and college tuition that has increased by a third. We 
owe the American people better than what we are going to do today.

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