[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10962]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        JOBS AND GROWTH PACKAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, just yesterday our friends across the 
aisle introduced their version of a jobs and growth package. I have 
looked into the details of this plan, and it is nothing more than 
another empty promise to America's workers and entrepreneurs. On a 
daily basis, we in Congress meet with our constituents, and the message 
that they are sending should be clear to each and every one of us. 
Significant tax relief and jobs growth is what our economy needs most. 
We do not need another do-nothing plan, and American workers will not 
accept more spending on government programs. They will not accept more 
spending on government programs. They are sick and tired of tax and 
spend and tax and spend some more. And they are sick and tired of the 
old class warfare tactics.
  The Democrats have proposed a $152 billion stimulus plan for a Nation 
with a GDP of over $10 trillion each year. Putting this in perspective, 
you may as well try and boost nationwide bubble gum sales by buying a 
single piece of bubble gum. The American people are not dumb. They know 
that you cannot expect significant economic growth without significant 
investment, and by ``investment'' I mean tax relief. Tax relief is an 
investment. It provides the capital that businesses and investors need 
to fuel expansion and jobs growth. There is no mystery here.
  Republicans have a jobs and growth plan that is absolutely necessary. 
It amounts to much more than a drop-in-the-bucket plan that is proposed 
by those across the aisle whose talents lay more in spending taxpayer 
dollars than trusting hardworking Americans to manage their own 
paychecks.
  I want to speak specifically, Mr. Speaker, to the President's plan 
and what it means for Tennessee. This is a great plan. It will create 
new jobs. In Tennessee, it is going to create 11,500 new jobs per year 
for the next 4 to 5 years. That is about 55,000 new jobs for 
Tennesseans alone. Nationwide we are talking about 1.2 million new jobs 
by the end of 2004, and almost 2.9 million new jobs in the next 4 to 5 
years. This is a jobs and growth plan. Increasing the child tax credit 
to $1,000 is good for American families. When we are talking about the 
child tax credit, that is money back in the hands of 27 million 
Americans during 2003. Moving the child tax credit from $600 to $1,000 
is good for American families. It means less money taken from their 
paycheck to pay for taxes. Accelerating the individual rate reductions 
in 2003 is good for millions of taxpayers. Again, that means less money 
from their paycheck to pay for taxes. Providing marriage penalty relief 
now is the right thing to do. Marriage penalty relief means less money 
from their paycheck to pay for taxes.
  I would encourage every Member of this body, our friends on both 
sides of the aisle, to join in making these tax cuts permanent. These 
are not radical provisions, Mr. Speaker; and they are central to a plan 
that will not only stimulate the economy, it provides a foundation for 
long-term job and economic growth. It is a plan for America's future 
that will produce results.

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