[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17016-17017]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                              GOP TAX PLAN

  (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, the massive tax cut of the Republican Party 
nearly three-quarters of $1 trillion is totally irresponsible. It 
stands in the way of strengthening Medicare and Social Security, and 
threatens the progress we have made in eliminating

[[Page 17017]]

the deficit and reducing the national debt. Republican tax breaks means 
higher deficits, higher interest rates, and lower economic growth.
  The Republican bill also declares class warfare against middle-class 
families. Citizens for Tax Justice finds the GOP tax plan unfairly 
targets its benefits towards the richest. The wealthiest 1 percent of 
taxpayers would receive 45 percent of the benefits from this tax break. 
It ultimately would receive an annual average tax cut of $48,000 in 
1999 dollars, Mr. Speaker, 384 times as much as the bottom three-fifths 
of taxpayers.
  In addition, by failing to include a reasonable and effective school 
construction initiative in the tax bill, the Republican Congress proves 
they are more concerned about big tax breaks for the wealthy than 
providing relief for American school districts. The single focus by 
Republicans on a big tax break for the rich senselessly blocks common 
sense tax incentives that would provide crucial aid to America's 
school.
  Republican priorities put wealthy Americans above the needs of our 
children.

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