E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 145 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1999 No. 32 House of Representatives The House met at 10:30 a.m. and was enter the United States for an exorbi- for funds spent on the detention of im- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- tant fee of $8,000 to $10,000 per person. migrants pursuant to this act. We must pore (Mr. STEARNS). After undergoing an arduous journey put a stop to this gross offense of f under fetid, unsanitary conditions, the human rights and promotion of crimi- Chinese reach Guam dehydrated, hun- nal activities. DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO gry, disease-ridden and sometimes Secondarily, Mr. Speaker, I am intro- TEMPORE beaten. Upon arrival, the smuggled ducing a companion measure intro- The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- Chinese become indentured servants as duced in the other body by Senator fore the House the following commu- they attempt to pay their passage to DANIEL INOUYE, S. 184. This legislation nication from the Speaker: America. permanizes a temporary judgeship in WASHINGTON, DC, Unlike other streams of illegal immi- the State of Hawaii and authorizes the March 2, 1999. grants coming into the United States, addition of another judgeship for the I hereby appoint the Honorable CLIFF these immigrants come as a result of a State. It also extends statutory au- STEARNS to act as Speaker pro tempore on well-organized series of activities orga- thority for magistrate positions in this day. nized by crime syndicates. What they Guam and the CNMI. J. DENNIS HASTERT, do, Mr. Speaker, is they utilize the ex- Guam and the CNMI are the only ju- Speaker of the House of Representatives. isting INS regulations, they utilize the risdictions, the only territories, that f INA law in order to apply for political are not allowed to have additional MORNING HOUR DEBATES asylum when they arrive on Guam. magistrates, and Guam's district court Guam's geographical proximity and is ranked number five in terms of its The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- asylum acceptance regulations make it caseload nationwide. We get a lot of ant to the order of the House of Janu- a prime target for crime syndicates. cases because of the illegal immi- ary 19, 1999, the Chair will now recog- According to Guam's INS officer in grants, because Guam is a central loca- nize Members from lists submitted by charge, Mr. David Johnston, about 700 tion. We have opportunities for drug the majority and minority leaders for illegal Chinese immigrants traveled to dealers and gun runners to use Guam morning hour debates. The Chair will Guam last year. Since the beginning of as a transshipment point. Bankruptcy, alternate recognition between the par- this year alone, 157 have been appre- tax and civil cases have tripled in 1998. ties, with each party limited to 30 min- hended by INS, local Guam officials This is a cost-saving measure. This utes, and each Member, except the ma- and the U.S. Coast Guard. Since the will allow the Federal judiciary to send jority leader, the minority leader, or INS does not have enough funds to de- an additional magistrate and not send the minority whip, limited to 5 min- tain the Chinese illegal immigrants on one temporarily, which runs about utes. Guam, they have proposed to release $400,000 a year. The Chair recognizes the gentleman them to the general populace without f from Guam (Mr. UNDERWOOD) for 5 min- assistance. Fortunately, the Govern- utes. ment of Guam has offered its already UNFAIRNESS IN TAX CODE: f strained resources to detain the illegal MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY aliens until they are ready to be adju- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under INTRODUCTION OF GUAM IMMI- dicated. the Speaker's announced policy of Jan- GRATION BILL AND MAGISTRATE Mr. Speaker, Chinese crime syn- uary 19, 1999, the gentleman from Illi- BILL dicates have exploited Immigration nois (Mr. WELLER) is recognized during Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, and Nationality Act asylum regula- morning hour debates for 5 minutes. today I am introducing two pieces of tions for too long. The bill I introduce Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I have legislation which are important to the does three things: the privilege of representing a very di- people of Guam. Today I am introduc- It would prohibit immigrants from verse district, probably the most di- ing a bill which will significantly im- applying for political asylum on Guam, verse district in the State of Illinois pact human rights violations and an exception from the INA law which is representing part of the City of Chi- criminal activity on Guam. During the applicable to territories; it would stip- cago and the south suburbs, Cook and past year, Guam has experienced a sig- ulate that the illegal immigrants have Will counties, and a lot of bedroom and nificant influx of Chinese illegal immi- to be shipped or deported out of Guam rural and farm communities. grants. Chinese crime syndicates orga- within 30 days; and that the Govern- When you represent a district as di- nize boatloads of Chinese to illegally ment of Guam should be compensated verse as the one I have the privilege of 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. H827 . H828 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE March 2, 1999 representing, you really have to listen people don't mind paying taxes.'' Here While President Clinton paraded a long list to learn the common concerns of such is why. Today our tax burden is at its of new spending for new big government pro- a diverse constituency. I find a pretty highest level ever in peacetime history gramsÐwe believe that a top priority after clear message as I listen and learn the for our country. Today, for the average saving Social Security and paying down the concerns of the people of the south side family back home in Illinois, 40 per- national debt should be returning the budget of Chicago and the south suburbs and cent of their income goes to govern- surplus to America's families as additional that is that the folks back home want ment at local, State and Federal levels. middle-class tax relief. us to work together, they want us to In fact, 21 percent of our gross domes- This Congress has given more tax relief to find solutions, they want us to meet tic product goes to the Federal Govern- the middle class and working poor than any the challenges, they want us to offer ment alone. And, since 1992, and I find Congress of the last half century. and work together to find solutions. this very disturbing, the amount of I think the issue of the marriage penalty can I am pleased that, over the last 4 taxes collected from individuals has best be framed by asking these questions: Do years, this Congress has responded to gone up 63 percent. Clearly, the tax Americans feel it's fair that our tax code im- that request to get things done. We burden is too high, and the middle poses a higher tax penalty on marriage? Do have got some real accomplishments class is paying the price. Americans feel it's fair that the average mar- that we all should be proud of: I believe as we focus on ways to lower ried working couple pays almost $1,400 more Balancing the budget for the first the tax burden on the middle class that in taxes than a couple with almost identical in- time in 28 years, a balanced budget we should start with simplifying our come living together outside of marriage? Is it that is now projected to produce a $2.7 Tax Code, looking for the provisions in right that our tax code provides an incentive to trillion overpayment of extra tax reve- our Tax Code that discriminate against get divorced? nue that is now known as a surplus. the middle class, that discriminate In fact, today the only form one can file to The first middle-class tax cut in 16 against families. I believe it is time avoid the marriage tax penalty is paperwork years. It is going to benefit 3 million Il- that we eliminate discrimination in for divorce. And that is just wrong. linois children who qualify for the $500 the Tax Code and work to simplify the Since 1969, our tax laws have punished per child tax credit. Tax Code. married couples when both spouses work. For The first welfare reform in a genera- As we set priorities, let us make the no other reason than the decision to be joined tion. That has now seen the results of top priority eliminating the discrimi- in holy matrimony, more than 21 million cou- reducing Illinois welfare rolls by 28 per- nation against 21 million married ples a year are penalized. They pay more in cent. working couples who, on average, pay taxes than they would if they were single. Not And IRS reform that tames the tax $1,400 more in higher taxes just because only is the marriage penalty unfair, it's wrong collector and shifts the burden of proof they are married under our Tax Code. that our tax code punishes society's most off the backs of the taxpayer and onto Is it not wrong that, under our Tax basic institution.