[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18955]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
            THE RECORD OF THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS

  (Mr. HINCHEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans have reminded us that it 
has been 10 years since they have controlled this Congress, and I think 
it is important to reflect upon that record. Since they have been in 
the majority here, they have managed to shift the tax burden from the 
most affluent people in America to the white and blue collar working 
class, raising taxes for working Americans, lowering them for 
multimillionaires. They have established the conditions for, and 
presided over, the Enron and other corporate scandals. And since they 
have controlled not just the legislative branch but the executive 
branch as well, they have managed to increase the poverty level in 
America in the last 4 years by 4.3 million people now living in 
poverty.
  They have reduced the average income of the average American family 
by more than $1,500. They have raised the energy costs of the average 
American family by more than $1,000 a year. They have raised the number 
of people who are without health insurance, bringing it up to 45 
million people without health insurance. The list goes on. And we will 
have other opportunities to discuss it, I am sure.

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