March 14, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2553 having boards behind us saying we be- about them when they take the votes cause over the past 60 years there has lieve in accountability, we hate waste, that are going to affect us, to affect been this huge, enormous bureaucracy but actually doing something about it. the Federal Tax Code and to affect how that they have built. The bureaucracy This should be good for the private the American family lives and works of the Federal Government that exists sector, too, of making sure that their and hopes and dreams and plans, how in this town is pretty much a monu- employees and individuals that work they make their plans for college edu- ment to the Democrats. They like it. with them and subcontractors that cation, how they make their plans for They like bureaucracy. work with them on Federal contracts small businesses, how they make their They did not have control of this are accountable and that they make plans for building a nest egg and a re- House for 2 days before they increased sure that they pay very close attention tirement. spending, and within 2 weeks they had to what they are doing with the tax- So we have the American Taxpayer increased taxes on the American mid- payer dollars. Bill of Rights that was introduced dle class and American working fami- So, Mr. Speaker, with that, I look today by the fiscally responsible Re- lies. Two days to increase the spending, forward to coming to the floor tomor- publican Study Committee, and this is so that they could feed this bureauc- row, talking about the victories of this something that we have brought on. racy, so that they could grow this bu- week. I believe tomorrow will be our Some of our colleagues are going to reaucracy; and 2 weeks to increase last day voting here this week, and I join us tonight and talk about this taxes on the American middle class and would like to just recap and also talk issue, talk about the legislation that the American family, men and women about what is coming up next week. we have brought forward, and that we that are working and seeing their taxes The reason why we are going through will bring forward through the next go up. Last week, I think it was $17.9 this process is because not only has the several months and talk about the pro- billion that they increased spending. leadership asked for inclusion of ideas, posals and the principles that we have So their habits have not changed. but to make sure that no one feels ex- laid forth today. They are going to continue to feed the cluded of being a part of this process Now, if my colleagues want to find bureaucracy, to see that bureaucracy and having the opportunity to vote on out more about the American Taxpayer waste money, to see that bureaucracy legislation. Bill of Rights, I would encourage them grow because that is the way they like The bipartisan votes that I have to go to the Web site which is it. mentioned earlier will continue to add house.gov/hensarling/rsc, and you can What we are going to do in the fis- on to that list, and soon I am pretty e-mail the Republican Study Com- cally responsible Republican Study sure it will be in the high 30s and 40s mittee at [email protected]. That is Committee is put the focus on the because legislation that makes sense to the way to stay in touch with us, and American family and on the American the people back home are coming to as we talk about the principles that are taxpayer and be certain that they the floor of the House of Representa- embodied in the taxpayer bill of rights, know we are defending their rights. tives in a record number like it has we want to hear not only from our col- One of those is to limit Federal never done before. leagues that are here in the House but spending to the growth of the Amer- So I am happy that we are having from our constituents all across Amer- ican family budget. Now, this is a great these bipartisan votes. I am happy that ica, from people who want to weigh in idea that we have taken from many of we are working as though we were in on making certain that this Nation our States. the minority, hungry to provide leader- stays focused on preserving freedom, In Tennessee when I was in the State ship. I am glad that accountability is on preserving free enterprise, that we Senate, when you look at our State shining on to this floor and throughout stay focused on making certain that Constitution, you cannot grow spend- the halls of Congress, and with that, America is a prosperous Nation. ing in that State more than the growth Mr. Speaker, once again, it was an Now, our components, we have four of the budget. You have got to be cer- honor addressing the House. simple principles that we have intro- tain that you balance that out. So f duced into the American Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and I am certain, Mr. Speak- what we are saying is, if we have per REPUBLICAN STUDY COMMITTEE er, that people that are listening to capita income growth of 3 percent or 4 The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. this say I think I have heard about a percent, then you cap your Federal PERLMUTTER). Under the Speaker’s an- bill of rights in my State; I think I growth spending at 3 percent or 4 per- nounced policy of January 18, 2007, the have heard this before. Many of our cent. You cannot be growing it 8 or 9. gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. States have because many of our You cannot keep up with that. There is BLACKBURN) is recognized for 60 min- States know they need to be respon- no way to make those numbers work utes as the designee of the minority sible with the taxpayers’ money, and unless you go into deficit spending. leader. that is one of the first lessons. Our friends across the aisle love to Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I The money that we have here in Con- rail about deficit spending. Well, how appreciate the opportunity to come to gress is not government’s money. It is did we get there? They grew a govern- the floor this evening and to talk about not the money of the House of Rep- ment so big, with entitlements so wide, something that is of tremendous im- resentatives. It is the money of the that every year they come here and it portance to the American people, and taxpayers of this great Nation. They is always a little more and a little today, we have introduced an American are the ones that have earned that more. Let us spend a little bit more, Taxpayer Bill of Rights. money. They are the ones that have and a little bit adds up to a lot, and a This is something that we have had paid their taxes. lot adds up to a deficit, and a deficit talk. We have had a lot of conversa- Most of my constituents in Ten- adds up to a debt. tion. We have heard from constituents nessee will tell me regularly, Congress So limit what the Federal Govern- around the country who have said, you does not have a revenue problem; they ment is going to spend, get in behind know what, we do not like the size of have got lots of money and they are some of these programs that have out- government. We do not like how it has right. For the past 2 years, this govern- lived their usefulness. grown. We do not like how government ment has brought in more tax revenue Every year we bring forward pro- seems to be out of control. We do not than ever in history. We have had more grams that have outlived their useful- like how the Democrats always seem to revenue come in. The problem is gov- ness. Every year we talk about pro- support the government elitists. We ernment has a spending problem. Gov- grams that need to be reduced. Every know that we need to have somebody ernment has such an appetite, it never single year we talk about ways to find there fighting for the American tax- gets enough of your money. waste, fraud and abuse. It is time for payer, fighting for the American fam- Now, my colleagues across the aisle this body to have the will and the en- ily, so that when they sit down to work like to talk about how there is all this ergy to begin to reduce spending. out their budget, when they sit down to waste and how there is all this fraud Mr. Speaker, for all the rhetoric that look at the family finances, they can and how there is all this abuse, and you comes out from some of the liberal be assured that somebody is thinking know what, they are right on that, be- elites who want to pad and grow the VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:38 Mar 15, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K14MR7.128 H14MRPT1 mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with HOUSE H2554 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 14, 2007 bureaucracy and some of those organi- amendments.