John Shaw: “Mr. Chairman, I think people who are watching this debate have to be just totally confused at this time. I think the…”

“Mr. Chairman, I think people who are watching this debate have to be just totally confused at this time. I think the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Archer], the chairman, has made a point very, very clearly. If you do not pay income taxes, you do not get income tax relief. Yet, when we hear the speeches going on in the well, as they are talking about all these people are rich, I am sorry, I do not think somebody who makes $20,000 a year is rich. Those are the people, between $20,000 and $70,000, they are the ones who are getting the major part of the relief in this bill, up to 76 percent. That is the bulk of where this relief is coming from. Look at the child credit, the tax credit for people who have kids, this is a huge part of this bill, a huge part, and this does not go to the very wealthy, as I would define very wealthy. It goes to middle-income America. I think when you look at the bill and you try to put it on balance, there are some Members in this House who just cannot stand the idea of giving the American people some tax relief. It has been 16 years. Republicans tried to do it last year. We were in the last Congress, it was vetoed. We have now come together working with the administration in trying to give America a very much-needed tax bill and give them the first tax cut in the last 16 years.”