[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11873]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             THE ESTATE TAX

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, the median income in America has dropped. 
What is the Republican Congress trying to do? Increase the minimum 
wage? Nope. Making sure that everyone in this country has access to 
affordable health care? Nope. Controlling energy costs? Nope.
  It is making sure that the 18 wealthiest families in the Nation do 
not pay their fair share.
  Median income over the last 4 years in America has dropped by 2.8 
percent. College costs are up by 38 percent. Health care costs are up 
by 75 percent. Energy costs are up by over 72 percent. And yet the 
middle class in America are facing a wageless recovery and an endless 
occupation.
  The heirs to the Wal-Mart, Campbell's Soup, and Gallo Wine fortunes 
rest easy knowing that this Congress is hard at work on their behalf.
  So rather than raise the minimum wage, the GOP Congress is going to 
cut taxes for the likes of Lee Raymond and his family.
  Mr. Speaker, ``shame'' is defined as a sense of guilt or 
embarrassment, and it is a condition that seems to be lost here on the 
Republican Congress.
  It is time for a change. It is time for a new direction.

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