Xavier Becerra

Seventy-five percent; the 10 percent of richest Americans in this country will receive 75 percent of the tax cuts in the capital gains proposal in the Contract with America, and you can take a look. If you happen to earn somewhere between…

All I would like to say is that we should take a little bit of time and think about what we mean by reform regarding welfare. You know, what is it and who really gets it? Then, once we do that, once we think about it, let us reform…

Drastically differently. Wages are fully taxed. Capital gains are not. The proposal that the Republicans have in their Contract with America says let us give them a further break in their capital gains, but the interesting thing about this…

Right now, the capital gains that we have in law right now costs this country between now and the next 5 years about $94 billion. We are already paying $94 billion for that. That, if you think about it, amounts to about $362 for every man…

Mr. Chairman, we have been debating for quite some time amendments that would try to protect children from all sorts of calamity that may result from this unfunded mandate legislation unless we exempt certain laws and regulations from this…

while some Republicans talk about buckling knees, President Clinton's stance last night was bold and firm: Cut the deficit and balance the budget, but not on the backs of our senior citizens and children. The Republicans' so-called…

And the gentleman's proposal which does provide for capitol budgeting, could that allow for that type of process, a 30-year mortgage?

I think some folks that may be watching may think those of us who are saying this balanced budget amendment is the wrong way to go are against ever balancing the Federal budget when of course we want to balance the budget, but we want to…

I rise to oppose the rule proposed for House Joint Resolution 1, the balanced budget amendment. I support balancing the Federal budget, but I believe, as an elected Representative of the people, that I owe them the responsibility and…

the gentleman raised the point that this would not protect children but it would actually provide those of us in Congress with the ability to somehow obstruct families from caring for their children. I have the amendment before me. I am…

I have spoken on this floor about my concerns with H.R. 5, the unfunded mandates legislation, for a number of reasons, least of which, of course, is the fact that the State and local governments are taking on burdens. More to the point…

I feel compelled to come here and respond to some things my colleagues from the other side of the aisle have said. I read this bill and I read the amendment, and to those on the other side of the aisle who say that this bill is adequately…

we have heard a growing number of conflicting and disturbing reports over Bookgate, the Speaker's book deal. Here is the bottom line, though: If the Republicans want to close the books on this episode, it is time for them to open up the…

According to, as I was saying, the Children's Defense Fund, young people who work for more than 20 hours a week have diminished investment in school. They are more likely to be delinquent in school and are more likely to use drugs. Over…

2 weeks ago America was told that this body was taking action to ensure that just about everything we do is done in full public view. No secrets and nowhere to hide--and that is exactly the way it should be. But now, in an ironic twist, it…

in this debate one point bears repeating. What we are really doing here is signing on the dotted line before reading the actual terms and conditions of the document. We are being told to do something in this House that no prudent family…

It seems to me that for the last month and a half we have been talking about how open this new Congress will be and how important it is to give the people of America a chance to really understand the workings of the House of…

the citizens of this country deserve to know what is really at stake when it comes to the balanced budget. Everybody agrees we have to reduce and ultimately eliminate the Federal budget deficit, but what will it really take to get a…

If I had in my hand today an amendment to try to preserve for us the right to ban the gifts from lobbyists, I would not be able to do that right now. So let me quote to you some words that I think are most eloquently stated, back in May…

Mr. Chairman, I wish to say to the gentleman from Oklahoma, I appreciate his efforts, but I must stand here and oppose this particular amendment for a number of reasons, which I think most people would find very important. First, while…

I wish to add my congratulations and applause to the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Clyburn] and the gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton], for their efforts to have this special order on the issue of welfare reform. Mr…

Today Members of the House of Representatives sadly commemorate the 79th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. I want to recognize the hard work of my good friend, the gentleman from California [Mr. Lehman], for calling this special order…

I have been here before, and what I am about to say I have said before, but I have said it about a different segment of the population. Normally when I take to this mike, it is to talk about immigrants, but if you were to just replace the…

I must say this is a crime bill that the House has proposed that has a number of different proposals in it, much different in many ways from the version of the other body. I would say it is a great improvement of what the other body has…

I do not think anyone is saying that if the Federal Government could--and it can at this stage--tell States they do not have to provide education to a particular individual, that therefore there would be some demand upon a State. Clearly…