SENATE—Monday, September 13, 1999
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
September 13, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 21215 SENATE—Monday, September 13, 1999 The Senate met at 12 noon and was RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING We are challenged by different phi- called to order by the President pro MAJORITY LEADER losophies, of course, as to what that tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ROB- spending ought to be; we are always The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Our ERTS). The acting majority leader is challenged by a difference of view as to guest Chaplain, Father Paul Lavin, recognized. what the priorities are. That is the na- pastor of St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill, ture of our body. Washington, DC, will now give the f So, Mr. President, I would like now prayer. SCHEDULE to yield to my friend, the Senator from Arkansas, for 15 minutes. PRAYER Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, today The PRESIDING OFFICER. The dis- The guest Chaplain, Father Paul the Senate will be in a period of morn- tinguished Senator from Arkansas is Lavin, offered the following prayer: ing business until 2 p.m. Following recognized. In Psalm 103 David sings: morning business, the Senate will re- Mr. HUTCHINSON. I thank the sume consideration of the Interior ap- Bless the Lord, O my soul Chair. and all my being bless His holy name. propriations bill. As a reminder, clo- f ture motions were filed on Friday on Bless the Lord, O my soul TAX RELIEF and forget not all His benefits. S.J. Res. 33 denouncing the offer of He pardons all your inequities, clemency to Puerto Rican terrorists Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I He heals all your ills. and on the Hutchison amendment re- rise today to address for a few minutes He redeems your life from destruction, garding oil royalties. These cloture the tax relief package that the Senate He crowns you with kindness and com- votes have been scheduled for 5 p.m. passed before the August recess. passion. today and may be followed by addi- I had the opportunity during the Au- He does not always chide, tional votes on judicial nominations. It gust recess to travel much of Arkansas. nor does He keep His wrath forever. I was in 27 counties in Arkansas in Not according to our sins does He deal is hoped that action on the Interior ap- propriations bill can be completed by about a month. So we were very busy. with us, In each one of those counties there nor does He requite us according to our tomorrow and that the Senate can begin consideration of the bankruptcy were opportunities for people to ex- crimes. press their opinions and to talk about For as the heavens are high above the reform bill. issues that were of concern to them. Earth I thank colleagues for their atten- so surpassing is His kindness toward tion. We heard much about the farm crisis. I those who fear Him. f know the Presiding Officer has been As far as east is from the west, very involved in trying to fashion a so far has He put our transgressions RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME farm policy that is going to allow fam- from us. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under ily farmers to survive, be viable, and Let us pray. the previous order, the leadership time has been very involved in the ag policy Almighty and eternal God, You have is reserved. of this country. We have heard a lot of concerns about agriculture. revealed Your glory to all nations. God f of power and might, wisdom and jus- I also heard a lot about the tax pack- tice, through You authority is rightly MORNING BUSINESS age, and there were a lot of questions. I want to take a few minutes today to administered, laws enacted, and judg- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under ment is decreed. Let the light of Your talk about what I heard and what I the previous order, there will now be a shared about the tax relief package divine wisdom direct the deliberations period for the transaction of morning of the Senate and shine forth in all the that we passed in the Senate and the business not to extend beyond the hour conference that was agreed upon with proceedings and laws formed for our of 2 p.m., with Senators permitted to the House. I think it is responsible and rule and government. May they seek to speak therein for up to 10 minutes. provides much-needed relief for the preserve peace, promote national hap- Under the previous order, the time American taxpayer. piness, and continue to bring us the until 1 p.m. shall be under the control I think that is the first thing we have blessings of liberty and equality. of the distinguished Senator from Wyo- to realize—how much there is a need We likewise commend to Your ming, Mr. THOMAS. for tax relief. People say, well, the unbounded mercy all citizens of the f economy is booming; we are doing fine; United States, that we may be blessed people are fine; no one really wants a in the knowledge and sanctified in the SENATE CHALLENGES tax cut. I think the reality is far dif- observance of Your holy law. May we Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, as was ferent. be preserved in union and that peace noted, there are 2 hours of morning Under the Clinton administration, which the world cannot give; and, after business. My associates are going to taxes have risen to the highest level in enjoying the blessings of this life, be undertake for the first hour to talk a peacetime history—almost 21 percent admitted to those which are eternal. little bit about the challenges that we of the gross domestic product. When We pray to You, who are Lord and face over the next month, 2 months. By you compare that to the 1950s and the God, for ever and ever. Amen. the end of this month, of course, we are Eisenhower years, the tax burden upon f to have completed the appropriations, the American people measured—there PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE and we will be moving forward with are lots of ways of measuring ‘‘tax bur- The Honorable PAT ROBERTS, a that. We will be dealing with the ad- den,’’ but one of the most helpful, I Senator from the State of Kansas, led ministration and with the President on think, is in terms of the gross domestic the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: their completion. We hope that it will product. At that time, it was about 15 I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the not end up in a closing down of Govern- percent of GDP; it is now 21 percent of United States of America, and to the Repub- ment but, rather, finding some con- GDP. And it took that last leap when lic for which it stands, one nation under God, sensus as to how we deal with our Congress passed and the President indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. budget for next year. signed the 1993 tax hike. ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate May 04 2004 10:21 May 17, 2004 Jkt 069102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR99\S13SE9.000 S13SE9 21216 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE September 13, 1999 When we are talking in terms of the pay an average of $14,000 extra; for 20 be lost when Clarence dies and his fam- tax relief package, the $792 billion—and years, couples must pay $28,000 extra. ily is faced with a huge Government for a farm boy from north Arkansas The tax relief package that passed death tax bill. Clarence has worked that is a lot of money, $792 billion—it would finally achieve equity and fair- hard to try to reduce the burden of the is over 10 years, and when you realize ness by eliminating the marriage tax death tax. He slowed the growth of his that what we are doing is rolling back penalty. business. He has hired lawyers. He has the tax burden on the American people The other aspect of the tax relief purchased life insurance. He has estab- by a grand total of 1 percentage point package we passed that I think is espe- lished trusts—all with the hope that he of GDP; we would take it from about 21 cially helpful and important and about could create a plan to enable his chil- percent to about 20 percent, there is which people feel strongly in Arkansas dren to keep the family business when nothing draconian—an overused word is the death tax. Small business owners he dies. All of that work and planning these days—there is nothing irrespon- and farmers can lose their lives and all still may not be enough. sible about the tax relief package that they have saved for their children be- Clarence figures that his son will owe was passed by the House and Senate. cause of death taxes. Since the value of the Federal Government about $1.5 mil- According to the Office of Manage- a business is added to the estate and lion upon his death, an impossible ment and Budget, total Federal re- taxed after exemption, sometimes as amount to pay for a man who makes ceipts amounted to 19.9 percent of GDP high as 55 percent, many small busi- only $31,000 a year. His son will almost in 1998 and will be 20.1 percent of GDP nesses and farms must be sold in order certainly have to sell all or part of the in 1999.