David Skaggs: “Four trillion eight hundred seventy-three billion, four hundred eighty-one million dollars. That is the Federal debt.…”

“Four trillion eight hundred seventy-three billion, four hundred eighty-one million dollars. That is the Federal debt. And we should be doing all we can to keep it from growing. The tax cut we are debating this afternoon will explode the debt by over a hundred billion dollars a year in the year 2005. Enormous tax relief for those who need it least. For hard-working middle class American families earning less than $75,000 a year, a pittance, 35 bucks a month. For a family over 200,000, a thousand dollars a month. Whose sense of equity is not offended by that? Two months ago we were debating a balanced budget amendment. There were pious and sober speeches about the deficit and its burden on our kids. The same people today are supporting this budget buster. Where has their resolve gone? Four trillion, eight hundred seventy-three billion, four hundred eighty-one million dollars. With a debt like that we should not even be considering this bill. Vote against a repeat of voodoo economics. Vote down this bill. Four-trillion, eight-hundred seventy-three billion, four-hundred eighty-one million dollars. That is the size of the United States Federal debt. It's shameful. And we should be doing all we can to keep it from growing. Which is why, as much as I would like to cut taxes, I believe this is the wrong time for any tax cut, and certainly this tax cut.”