Date: 2007-03-28
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

but only to the extent that such bills ida. Mr. Chairman. this budget does in- or joint resolutions in the form placed clude $392 million in increased taxes. before the House in the Committee on Unfortunately. this Democrat tax in- Rules would not increase the deficit or crease plan affects all Americans. decrease the surplus for fiscal years Those increases would hit middle in- 2007 through 2012. come families. lowincome earners Then. in section 401. where they talkfamilies with small children. business. about these tax extensions as a statejust to name a few. ment of their policy preferences. they Now. we have heard here tonight assume that the cost of such a policy is from our friends on the other side of offset. What does that mean? That the aisle that they dont want to raise means they are not covering the tax taxes in this budget and that this budg- cuts. That means if you want to extend et doesnt raise taxes. Mr. Chairman. these tax cuts. they would have to pay there is a problem. that the votes here for them on top of raising these taxes. in this body are recorded. they are ac- What this budget resolution also tually recorded. just last week. not last does. if you simply merely want to exyear. not last century. just last week. tend this tax relief. that is past 2010. I know memory sometimes fails. but you would have to come up with more last week. when we marked up this tax increases to do so. This prohibits budget. the Republicans offered several the ability of Congress to simply examendments making sure that the tend this tax relief. thereby bringing taxes did not go up. Not a single Demo- these tax increases to a curve. crat in that committee voted for those Mr. Chairman. I yield 3 minutes to amendments. the gentleman from South Carolina So here they come. on this floor to- . night. and say that they do not raise Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. I taxes. but last week they voted against thank the gentleman for yielding. an amendment extending the $1.000 per Mr. Chairman. our friends on the child tax credit. They say. tonight. on other side have complained that I guess this floor. that this budget does not we Republicans dont know what fiscal raise taxes. but voted against an mismanagement is. What does it mean? amendment last week on this budget I guess our Democrats. by their actions that would have extended the marriage this year. especially looking at this penalty tax relief. They say tonight on budget. I think that fiscal mismanagethis floor that they do not want to ment means that we are not spending raise taxes and this budget does not enough. Apparently. if the Republicans raise taxes. but just a few days ago. had spent more money on everything. they voted against extending the elimi- including everything in this budget. evnation of death tax and even voted erything would be perfect. but we ceragainst extending the Stateand local tainly know that is not the case The tax deduction. Democrats seem to think that the IRS Makh 28. 2007 tax collectors just need to bring in more money. But let me tell you exactly what has happened. Collections over the past year are up $2.5 trillion. That figure keeps going up every year. We are collecting more tax revenue. as a share of the economy. more than the average over the past 40 years. So I guess they are telling me it is not enough. According to the Democrats. there is still too much uncollected tax revenue out there. So their budget. like the budget in the Senate that was .produced last week. calls for the IRS to make up the difference trying to close this magical tax gap. I am sure somebody will tell me exactly what this magical tax gap is some time tonight. In short. this Democrat budget has found that the Federal Government budget is almost perfect..I guess all we need to do is spend more money. Clearly. my colleagues and I have a different approach. Number 1. we think prosperity and economic growth mainlycomes from economic investors and workers. not the Federal Government. We think creative ideas. the ones that lead to progress and higher standards of living come from thinking outside the box. not inside the box. because that is government. I guess last of all. we believe. as President Reagan said in his first inaugural address. we are a Nation that has a government. not the other way around. We believe these things. because we believe the government should limit its taxing and spending. ease the burden on the economy. and let it grow. Judging by this budget. the Demo.crats. they dont see that. They think government should call the shots and keep widening its control. For that reason. this budget trusts the government more than the people that are paying the tax bills.. We believe this budget is fundamentally a failure. If you want to bring it home. in South Carolina terms. so I can let the folks in South Carolina know. this is about a $2.500 tax increase for my average South Carolinan home. $2.500. We believe in freedom. With freedom comes less government. and that is a good thing.