[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16741-16742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           THE DEMOCRAT PLAN FOR A FAIRER BUDGET AND TAX PLAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 19, 1999, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 3 minutes.
  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, after listening to the observations of my 
colleagues, I cannot believe that the majority is serious in saying 
that they have to take this surplus and convert it into a tax cut 
because the people in Washington would surely spend it.
  I do not know whether they can count, and even though it is true that 
the number does dwindle day by day, but the truth is that they are in 
the majority. So if basically what they are saying is, stop me before I 
hurt the country, it is too late. They have already done that.
  But in years ago, before the Republicans had the majority, a tax bill 
was not a political document, it was something that we would have for 
economic growth, to give assistance to the American people. Now we find 
that, through no fault of this Congress, there is going to be a baby 
boomer crop coming in 2015. People are going to mature, they are going 
to be eligible for social security, eligible for Medicare, and we have 
the ability among us to really take care of that unexpected booming 
course that we are going to have.
  But instead of talking about that, these Republicans are talking 
about putting their foot in the door, as the gentleman pointed out, not 
just for the next 10 years but for the 10 years that follow that, that 
is going to go into trillions of dollars.
  We cannot challenge them because they have the votes. We cannot 
challenge them because there are no committee meetings. We cannot 
challenge them because we do not go into caucus to discuss what they 
are doing. But one thing is certain, that the minority will be 
presenting a fairer package to the American people, one that includes 
taking care of the social security system, taking care of Medicare, and 
making certain that we reduce the Federal debt, as well as target a 
relief for the taxpayer.
  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. RANGEL. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I would ask the gentleman 
from New York, is it his projection and the position of the Democratic 
minority that what we are really discussing is the repair of social 
security and Medicare first and debt reduction, and then tax cuts?
  Mr. RANGEL. It is the only responsible thing to do. We want tax cuts 
like anyone else, but the American people want to make certain that we 
have taken care of the social security system, we have taken care of 
Medicare, we have taken care of prescription drugs, reduced the Federal 
debt the best we can, and give an equitable tax cut.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. RANGEL. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. DOGGETT. As the soon-to-be chairman of the Committee on Ways

[[Page 16742]]

and Means himself, would the gentleman from New York expect that this 
year it would be possible to have a few fully paid for, not taken out 
of social security, but fully paid for tax cuts that could be targeted 
to help middle-class families?
  Mr. RANGEL. There is no question, if we were talking about education, 
if we were talking about long-term health care, if we were talking 
about day care, if we were talking about removing the pains of the 
marriage penalty, these things we can and we will do.
  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. One quick question: Fix social security 
first, Medicare first, and then tax cuts?
  Mr. RANGEL. You got it.

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