[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 1, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8302-H8303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             UNDERSTANDING THE RYAN-McCONNELL TAX GIVEAWAYS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Cardenas) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege and an honor to 
represent the community of the San Fernando Valley here in the United 
States Congress. I think it is my duty and responsibility to make sure 
that when something is going on in Washington, people should know what 
is going to happen to them and how it affects them.
  I think it is really important for everybody to understand that right 
now in the workings--and it is probably going to come to this floor in 
just a few days--is the Speaker Ryan-McConnell tax giveaways to big 
corporations, which will actually increase taxes for working families, 
working mothers and fathers.
  I think it is important for people to understand that this is 
something that is being sold as a middle-income tax cut. Actually, what 
it is going to do is it is going to cut the take-home income to middle 
class families.
  What it is going to mean is if you are a police officer or a teacher 
or a waitress, you are going to see less money every week. It might be 
$5 less a week, it might be $50 less a week, it might be $100.
  Let me tell you, the opposite of what is going to happen should this 
become law is that the biggest corporations in America are going to see 
$1 million less in taxes a week, maybe $50 million less in taxes paid a 
week, maybe $100 million less per week paid in taxes.
  Some people are thinking: Well, they earned it. They should keep it.
  Well, okay. I understand what you are saying. But, see, this is the 
fundamental problem of this $1.5 trillion reduction in the ability for 
our Federal Government to fund things like Medicaid and Medicare. 
Because when we see less money, you are going to see Members on this 
floor and in committees throughout this House and in the United States 
Senate saying: Well, we don't have the money.
  When they see a mother whose child has cerebral palsy and she is 
saying, ``I go to work every single day, and thank you, government, for 
allowing my child to be in a program so that he or she can be safe 
while I go to work,'' they are going to say, ``You know what? I agree 
with you, ma'am. We should fund that, but since we don't have the money 
anymore, we are going to stop funding that.''
  This is a woman who just wants to work for a living. This is a person 
who just wants to make sure that she can have the dignity of work and 
have her child in a safe place, but we are going to cut those programs 
if we have this tax giveaway go through Congress and signed by this 
President.

                              {time}  1045

  You see, it is a multistep process. And what some of my colleagues--
and

[[Page H8303]]

so far, the only ones voting for this tax giveaway are my Republican 
colleagues. I say that accurately, not to be partisan, but just to be 
honest and accurate. They say we have to do this; it is going to 
stimulate the economy.
  Well, also, in this package, this plan that they want to make into a 
law, basically what it will do, it will actually incentivize the 
biggest corporations in America, American corporations. It is going to 
incentivize them to go ahead and close up shop in your neighborhood and 
go set up shop somewhere else in the world.
  And the only connection they are going to have with you, ladies and 
gentlemen, is they are going to want to sell those products to you, 
built by other than American hands in other parts of the world. The 
only other connection they are going to have is this: They are going to 
be able to bring their money, their profits, back to the United States, 
pretty much free and clear, and just count their money here, where they 
call themselves an American corporation.
  I think it is important, ladies and gentlemen, that we recognize that 
this is something that is wrong. This is something that is going to 
hurt the middle class. This is something, again, if you are a teacher, 
if you are a police officer, if you are busdriver, this is going to 
hurt you.
  If you are a single mother who is working every single day, proud to 
do that, you are going to see that you are not going to have the 
support you need to make sure that that childcare continues for your 
child.
  If you are a family member that has a mother or father whose only 
income is Social Security, they probably depend on Meals on Wheels. 
They probably depend on programs like that. Some of that comes from 
your Federal Government. But when these Republican colleagues cut $1.5 
trillion out of the United States budget, it is going to come out of 
you, ladies and gentlemen. The people who have worked hard, seniors who 
are finally retired and should have the dignity of having a dignified 
life and having at least one darned meal a day, that is where it is 
going to come out of.
  Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to warn you, please call your Members 
of Congress. Please make sure that you let them know: I don't want that 
kind of giveaway.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks 
to the Chair and not to a perceived viewing audience.

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