[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 23149]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                             ON THE ECONOMY

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, we learned we have been in 
a recession for the past 8 months. Mr. Speaker, that is not acceptable 
to the American people and it is not acceptable to this Congress.
  The House has responded. We passed an energy bill that creates jobs; 
we passed an economic growth bill that creates jobs; and next week we 
will pass a trade bill that creates jobs.
  There are some people that have a different idea about the question 
of what creates jobs. Mr. Speaker, I have a pop quiz for our friends on 
the other side of the building:
  Which of the following do you think would best grow the economy and 
get it back on its feet? Investment-based tax relief; a railroad 
retirement bill; a farm bill; or more funding for bison meat and sight-
seeing tours in the Dakotas?
  Mr. Speaker it does not take a degree in economics to know the 
answer. We need to give the President a growth package that will create 
jobs not just for today but for the future. Yet some people think that 
other legislation should be the ``front burner'' issues. These bills 
have even been scheduled, while the President's plan for economic 
growth languishes in the other body.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no time left. An economic growth package built 
on tax relief should be the only ``front burner'' issue this Congress 
addresses today. It is a big deal, Mr. Speaker. The American people 
want to get back to work. They want this Congress to act now to jump-
start this economy. They do not want to see the process thwarted by a 
Senate that does not understand which burner should be the front 
burner.

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