Sam Gibbons: “many Nevadans have come to me and said, Jim, I just can't make ends meet. We are paying more and more in taxes. How are…”

“many Nevadans have come to me and said, Jim, I just can't make ends meet. We are paying more and more in taxes. How are we supposed to save for our retirement, pay off our mortgage, or even send our kids to college? Well, Mr. Speaker, these concerns are real. According to the Census Bureau, the average household today pays almost $9,500 in Federal income taxes every year, and that is twice what it paid in 1985. By conservative estimates, the Federal Government will have a record-breaking surplus this year of $5.6 trillion. Now it is time to grant the hard-working Americans the tax relief they so deserve and need. The tax relief package that President Bush has outlined will give $1,600 back to the average working American family of four. This $1,600 could pay their mortgage for a month, help pay off a credit card debt, or the tuition at a community college for one year. The surplus was created by the tax dollars of the American people. It belongs to them. There is no excuse for Congress not to give the hard-working Americans what they want, what they need and what they deserve, a tax break. It is time to give the extra money back.”