[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9142]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                            TAX FREEDOM DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) 
is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to wish all Americans a 
happy Tax Freedom Day. Americans are now free from the Federal shackles 
on their income. And, this year, all American citizens worked for the 
government longer than in any previous year.
  Today Americans start working for themselves and not the Federal 
Government. Starting today, the money all Americans earn goes to their 
families rather than the Washington bureaucracy.
  This government is taking too much money out of our pockets. In fact, 
the average American will spend nearly 3 hours of each 8-hour working 
day just to pay taxes. Most of the time, almost 2 hours, will be spent 
working to pay Federal tax; and the remainder, 54 minutes, will be 
spent working to pay State and local taxes.
  For too long the Federal Government has increased taxes on our 
businesses, our seniors, our families, our children. We need to take 
our money away from the Federal Government, away from the bureaucrats 
and give it back to the American people. After all, American workers 
have earned it.
  My colleagues on the other side of the aisle believe all working 
Americans' money belongs to the Federal Government. I disagree. It is 
the money of all those hard-working Americans; and Americans want, need 
and deserve a refund now.
  Let us help America. Let us give the people what they deserve: tax 
relief that is long overdue.

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