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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2004 No. 72—Part II House of Representatives PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION rich only, because they want the jus- marriage penalty tax relief provisions OF H.R. 4359, CHILD CREDIT tification to raise yours and my taxes, and most of the child tax credits that PRESERVATION AND EXPANSION any working family. are being discussed here today. What ACT OF 2004—Continued And they want to cut defense by 50 we do have a problem with is passing percent; they have sure tried that. the bill on to our kids and our b 1445 Mr. Speaker, a man once called Abra- grandkids. That is fiscally irrespon- Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ham Lincoln two-faced. He said, do you sible. am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the think if I had two faces I would use They should listen to one of the great gentleman from California (Mr. this one. My colleagues on the other leaders of their own party, Senator CUNNINGHAM). side say it is only tax breaks for the JOHN MCCAIN of Arizona, who said that Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, rich, but they have never seen a tax in- the Republican Party used to be the how many times have we heard tax crease that they do not like. Also, if party of fiscal responsibility. It used to breaks for the rich in this body? Maybe you look at the 13 appropriations com- be the party that would want to pay as their liberal Democratic base can be- mittees, and I serve on the Committee you go. That is no longer the case. This lieve it, but the American people are on Appropriations, there is not a single is the most fiscally irresponsible Con- not stupid. one except for Defense that they do not gress in the history of our country. They said the marriage penalty was a want to increase, and increase the And so to the gentleman who spoke tax break for the rich. There should be debt. earlier, I would say my problem is not a reward for people that get married, We just had a budget that limits so much that we should not provide tax not a disincentive. Yet my colleagues spending. Most of my colleagues on relief to middle-income families; my said, oh, it’s a tax break for the rich. that side of the aisle voted against it problem is that you are not paying for Tax breaks for the family and the because they want to increase spend- it and you are passing the bill on to my children, that is for the rich. Most ing. They want to increase the debt. kids and my grandkids, and that is not Americans have children in this com- Yet they say, oh, don’t vote for a tax right. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of munity and those that do not, adopt, break for the rich because it gives my time. like myself; and it is not just a tax money to working families for chil- break for the rich. But any tax relief dren. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE Yes, Abraham Lincoln was right. for a working family, to my liberal col- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. There are two faces on some people. leagues on the other side, is a tax UPTON). The Chair would remind Mem- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield bers to avoid improper references to break for the rich. The American peo- myself such time as I may consume. I the other body. ple are not stupid, Mr. Speaker. would like to respond to the gentleman Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I Mr. Speaker, I invite Members to from California, if I may. I very rarely am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the look up www.dsausa.org. This is their agree with anything he says. gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. JO Web page. It stands for Democrat So- I do agree with one thing he said and ANN DAVIS). cialists of America, DSA. Look what that is, the American people are not Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. their 12-point agenda is. They talk stupid. I would just like to say to him Speaker, I rise in strong support of this about how they work with and they that the American people can add and rule and for the underlying bill, the laud the Progressive Caucus, 58 Mem- they can subtract. The unpaid-for tax Child Credit Preservation and Expan- bers of the House in the Progressive cuts, many of them for the wealthiest sion Act. Caucus along with the Democrat So- people of this country, that his party If we do not pass this bill, the child cialists of America. Their own Web has championed during this last month tax credit, which is currently $1,000, page lists 12 points. have added $1.2 trillion to the Federal will go down to $700 next year and then They want government control of debt that is already nearly $7.2 trillion. fall to $500 in 2011. In other words, if we health care; they sure tried to do that. That is an addition of $4,000 to each do not act on this bill, taxes will in- They want government control of edu- American’s share of the Federal debt. crease for 30 million taxpayers. cation; they have sure tried to do that. Each citizen’s share of the debt would This bill makes the $1,000 tax credit They want unions over small business. be now, with all these tax cuts that permanent and raises the eligibility That is where they get their campaign they have passed that are not paid for, limits for those who can claim the money. They have sure done that. $28,479. credit to include more middle-income They want the highest taxes possible. Most of us on this side of the aisle parents so that more people can keep That is why any tax relief is for the have absolutely no problem with the more of their own money. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H3443 . VerDate May 04 2004 01:59 May 22, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K20MY7.108 H20PT2 H3444 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 20, 2004 Americans deserve to keep more of us the highest gas tax possible. And tax breaks to families earning as much as their hard-earned money. For many they increased the tax on the middle $309,000, while doing next to nothing for families, $1,000 goes a very long way. income. those at the low end of the income scale. The Parents could invest the money for When we took the majority in 1994, bill, which could come up as early as today, we reversed those and they said, oh, is the most egregious part of a House tax- their child’s education. cutting spree that altogether would add This bill also helps more of our men look, the economy. After we reversed more than $500 billion to the deficit over the and women in uniform become eligible that tax, not a single Democrat eco- next 10 years, according to estimates by the to receive the child tax credit. It would nomic structure or tax passed in this Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax allow nontaxable combat pay to be House or the other body and they said, Policy Center. taken into account when calculating ‘‘Well, look. Look at the fine economy The House would not only make perma- the refundable portion of the tax cred- we had under President Clinton.’’ nent the $1,000-per-child tax credit enacted it. Currently, combat pay is excluded Not one of President Clinton’s meas- as part of the 2001 tax cut but would dra- matically increase the income limits for eli- from calculating eligibility for the ures ever passed in this House or was signed. So if that is the case, if we re- gibility. Currently, married families with in- credit. This bill would allow low-in- comes of up to $110,000 receive the full credit; come families to receive more of the versed that and none of their policies the bill would more than double the income child tax credit and to keep more of went forward since we have had the ceiling, to $250,000. Under existing law, fami- their own money. majority, then how can they be respon- lies with two children and incomes up to I wholeheartedly support tax credits; sible for the good economy? $149,000 receive a partial tax credit; the bill however, I think we all need to remem- But, no, they will use every chance would make that partial credit available to ber whose money it is in the first place. they can to say we want middle-class families with two children and income of be- tax cuts, middle-class tax cuts. But tween $250,000 and $289,000; families with It is not the government giving back three children would be entitled to the par- its money to the people. It is the Amer- when it comes time to do it, they will increase it every time because it in- tial credit up to an income of $309,000.

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