[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TEN YEARS: ADVANCES

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, Republicans have been in the majority here 
in the House of Representatives for 10 years now, and a lot has 
changed. We have helped to free working families from the heavy tax 
burden, but we need to make our work permanent. We need to make a child 
tax credit, elimination of the marriage penalty tax and the elimination 
of the death tax permanent. Only the Republicans are committed to doing 
this.
  We have established a more optimistic welfare system that encourages 
self-sufficiency and has shortened the welfare lines. But there are 
still families on welfare who want to get off, so there is more work to 
be done. Only Republicans are committed to doing this.
  Since 1994, unemployment rates are lower. Median household income is 
higher. A greater percentage of Americans are graduating from college. 
Home ownership rates are higher. And the violent crime rate has 
decreased.
  Mr. Speaker, the numbers prove that American families are better off, 
much better off with Republicans making the laws.

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