9104 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS April 24, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS OIL IMPORT FEE clothing.-Stripped of all its trimmings it is CHINESE NEWCOMERS SERVICE really a revenue measure-a tax increase­ CENTER rather than a conservation device. The HON. TOBY ROTH President described this $10-12 billion in· HON. PHILLIP BURTON 01' WISCONSIN crease as a margin of safety against the 1981 OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES budget deficit. He wants to balance the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, April 24, 1980 budget by raising this special tax, in addi­ tion to increasing the income tax. This tax­ Thursday, April 24, 1980 •Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, there ap­ a regressive one-is the worst kind. It will be pears to be· a united bipartisan effort especially harmful for low income persons. e Mr. PHILLIP BURTON. Mr. Speak· to repeal the estimated $12 billion tax Imposing a new tax, I believe, is not the way er, on Thursday and Friday, May 8-9,' burden that President Carter has im­ to fight· inflation or conserve energy. Such a 1980; the Chinese Newcomers Service posed through his oil import fee proc­ measure will push wage and material costs Center of San Francisco will convene a lamation. In my view, the American higher and trigger more price increases. The national work.shop of agencies ser\ring people have about reached the limit energy saving which the Administration ·es­ Chinese immigrants and refugees. they can go with inflation raging over timates at 100,000 barreIS a day, will mean This 2-day work.shop will be an In­ 18 percent and a recession underway. the taxpayer is paying about $345 in· new depth review of existing services, a This proposed oil import fee resulting taxes for every barrel saved. Americans sharing of · the experiences of the in an immediate 10 cent per gallon need a tax cut not a tax increase. Reduction agencies involved and a discussion of increase in the price of gasoline would of government spending is the way to bal­ future directions in the field. only add to the unbearable energy ance the budget. The San Francisco Newcomers Serv­ costs consumers are already suffering. III. The proposal will have little effect' on ice is a nonprofit agency with a 10· This proposal is inflationary. and gasoline consumption. ....:The cure will be year record of impressive service to will have little effect on consumption. worse than the ailment. Even the adminis­ the Chinese-Am·erican community. tration expects gasoline consumption to be Their goal is to assist monolingual Moreover, stripped of all its trimmings reduced about 100,000 barrels dally, which is it is really a revenue· measure-a tax ·in of 1 percent of total U.S. consumption. Chinese-speaking residents, both old· increase-at a time when Americans This is an enormous price to pay for so little timers and newcomers, in their adjust­ need a tax cut not a tax increase. Fi­ savings of gasoline. Conservation is already ment process to become contributing nally, it will serve as a drag on the taking place based on soaring energy prices. and participating members of our soci­ U.S. economy at a time when a grow­ Americans used 5.3 percent less gasoline in ety. ing economy is in order to balance the 19'79 than in 1978. And nearly 8 percent less Aware of the special problems that budget and lick inflation. the first quarter of 1980 compared to the face the newcomer immigrant or refu­ Because this matter is of such im· same period in 1979. There Is a realistic gee and the ongoing problems of the portance I would like to submit for the limit to conservation in the shortrun be­ oldtimer with limited exposure to the RECORD testimony I presented to the ·cause of the nature of U.S. society and its American lifestyle, Chinese Newcomer House Ways and Means Committee on economy. Forty percent of all U.S. driving is Service extends a helping hand and work-related. This proposal would unfairly provides such services as: Information this matter. discriminate against those who must drive The testimony follows: and referral, translation and interpre· long distances for work. tation, emergency contact and accul­ OIL IMPORT F'EE IV. Apart from the lnflationary aspects Mr. Chairman, I am very_grateful for the turation programs. there are some seriously· adverse impacts on It is my pleasure to call this most opportunity to Join with you and my other the nation's general economy.-People will colleagues at this hearing. It is a pleasure to have less to spend on other items. The infla­ worthwhile service and work.shop to present my views in strong opposition to the tionary and tax effects will serve as a drag the attention of my colleagues.e President's proposed oil import fee. The on the U.S. economy. Increases are likely in Committee should be commended for study­ unemployment and industries/activities WHAT THE ARMY REALLY ing this matter, your hearing is particularly that are heavily dependent on gasoline, e.g. NEEDS timely. In presenting my statement today, I tourism. The cost to farmers and ranchers would like 'to emphasize 4 key points: · alone will be about $350 million a year, HON. ROBERT ff. MICHEL I. One of the most significant characteris­ which will further increase the high price of OF ILLINOIS tics of this proposal is its lnflationary food. America needs a growing economy ·in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES impact.-For only marginal savings in order to balance the budget and lick infla­ energy there will be an immediate ten cent tion. Thursday, April 24, 1980. per gallon increase in the price of gasoline. In summary, this proposal would also pro­ • Mr. MICHEL. Mr. ·Speaker, when This added to the cost of doing business vide a strong signal to OPEC that the the House was debating the resump­ which will be passed along to the consumer AJl?.erican consumer is willing to tolerate tion of draft registration April 22, I will actually add o/4 of a percent to the cur­ further price increases on top of the goug­ pointed ou~ that· such a symbolic ges­ rent oppressive rate of inflation even by the ing that already exists. Furthermore, there ture would have far less impact on the Administration's own estimates. Consumers is a strong consensus that administration of are already suffering from unbearable Soviet Union than would a concerted this proposal would be a regulatory night­ effort on our part make concrete energy costs. A price increase is inconsistent mare. There is no way to assure that the to with the anti-lnflation program. The price Import fee would be passed along to con­ improvements in the readiness of our of gasoline alone has increased ·about 105 sumers only on gasoline and not added to Armed Forces. percent since April 1979. We should be the price of other refined products. More­ The Soviets read newspapers. They working to decrease not increase, energy over, this proposal adds more government know our Reserves are undermanned prices. The average driver will pay $75 more and ill-equipped. They also. know that a year for gasoline as a result of the import control, interference, and redtape, all of fee. In rural areas like my .own district, the which is costly and unnecessary. For these there are serious shortages of skilled cost will be appreciable greater for each reasons, I hope the Committee will act to manpower among our regular forces driver. In short, there will be an upsurge in insure that this most recent ill-advised and that we are having a very difficult inflation for consumers who are already scheme of ·the Carter Administration is time holding on to military personnel staggering from recent price increases. stopped. · · who have the education and experi­ II. This proposal is -really a wolf in sheeps Thankyou.e ence to run a modem day army. e This "bullet0 symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the. Member . on the floor. April 24, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 9105 We are not fooling the Russians the government would pay a year of college densatlon of this testimony from the when we ref'lise to address these critl· or other education for every year the volun­ · machinists' publication "Report" and cal problems. We are only fooling our­ teer served in the military, wo\ild lure more insert' it in today~s RECORD. high school graduates into the Army• . selves. Besides using education to attract first­ ·Thank you. There are a good many· steps we can timers, Meyer said, the Army could keep ITC llEARs REAL COST OP hlPORTS take to revive the strength and integri­ more of its sergeants and young· officers by The U.S. International Trade Commission ty of o~ Armed Forces and the other taking over the financial burden of educat­ <ITC> got ·an earful about the effects of day the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. ing their children. plant closings on the workers from District Edward C. Meyer enunciated some of "Most people who serve in the military 162 Directing Business Rep Dick Sturgeon, them. He also offer~d some very frank know they are not going to be millionaires," of Sioux City, IA. _ opinions on what impact a resumption Meyer said. "But they have a few demands. He told the ITC-the agency that consid­ "One, they have to be able to eat. And ers import quotas on such things as foreign­ of the draft would have on the Army.