[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2795]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH MUCH NEEDED RELIEF

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, American families deserve to share in the 
rewards of this economy they shaped and the surplus they created. At 
the same time, recognizing the slower economy of the last 6 months, we 
need to get some help, and tax relief would do that.
  Critics of tax relief cannot have it both ways. They argued against 
tax relief when the deficits were more than $250 billion in the 1990s; 
and now they argue against tax relief again when the deficits have 
turned into surpluses.
  So many families are still struggling today to pay their credit card 
and utility bills. Ending the marriage penalty tax and phasing out the 
death tax will create a fair Tax Code that would benefit all Americans.
  Madam Speaker, allowing all Americans to keep more of their money is 
a good policy for the economy as a whole. Clearly there is room within 
the surplus to pay down the debt, fund priority programs, and enact 
President Bush's tax cut.

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