[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 16309]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
                               TAX REFORM

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, this House and its committees will discuss 
what is being called tax reform, what is being told to the American 
public is a middle class tax break.
  Well, I am here to tell you it is a con job. It is a tax giveaway to 
the wealthiest people in this country like never before at the expense 
of people in the middle class, lesser incomes, who will not get 
benefits, and if they do, it is chump change. It is the change you give 
somebody at a restaurant when you get your meal.
  Billionaires will get to get away without having to pay an estate 
tax, like Donald Trump--billions of dollars they will not have to pay 
to the government to help fund Pell grants, LIHEAP, and other programs 
that help people who need something. That is something they will not 
come off of.
  They may raise a little rate and say: We are going to put a little 
higher rate on the wealthy because it is not in there now.
  They may say: Give the State and local income tax exemptions back.
  But they are not going to go back on the estate tax because that is 
for the superwealthy, and that is who this bill is for.
  Wake up America. It is a con job.

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