Paul Coverdell: “to lay a framework here, we have three proposals that are before the Senate offered by the majority leader, Senator Dole…”

“to lay a framework here, we have three proposals that are before the Senate offered by the majority leader, Senator Dole of Kansas. We have an opportunity to repeal a 4 rac{1}{2}-cent gas tax that was imposed by President Clinton in August 1993. This is the gas tax that the President, while campaigning, said should not be imposed because it is especially harsh on the poor families in our country. But when he became President, he changed his mind and imposed a 4.3-cent gas tax that, as I said, is very, very difficult for the poorer sectors of our society to deal with, the rural sectors, rural communities that have to utilize gas extensively in their travels and in their work. This has added a deficit in a family checking account between $100 and $200 per family. It is interesting we are discussing that on this day, because May 8 is the first day that wage earners get to keep their checks for their own housing, their own food, their own transportation. From January 1 to yesterday, every check that was earned by every worker in America went to the Government. It is hard to believe we are at a point in time in our country where you work from January 1 to May 7 and you have to wait until May 8 to keep the first check that you earned. So repealing this gas tax is just the beginning of a series of steps that ought to occur to lighten that load and push those days back. If you ask Americans what date they think is the appropriate one, they say March 1.”