Charles Rangel: “the majority party clearly has shown their unity on the question of sunsetting and polishing the Internal Revenue Code…”

“the majority party clearly has shown their unity on the question of sunsetting and polishing the Internal Revenue Code at some time in the future, 2004. I guess that is pretty courageous to say on the eve of April 15 that they want to get rid of this code. We do not know whether they have enough votes to come back with something before we get out of session. We have not the slightest clue as to what they would replace it with. So we are saying this, if they are going to overwhelm us with their votes and abolish the code, we ask them to support the motion to recommit at least to put some protections in it for the taxpayer for the American people; that it be fiscally responsible; that whatever they come up with, that it is fair; that it be certainly more simple than the code that they are trying to replace; that they not pick up some of these ideas that are floating in their side about taxing prescription drugs; that they do not make home purchasing more difficult by eliminating the deduction of mortgage interest. For God's sake, do not hurt charitable giving by removing the deductibility. Do not hurt our schools, our churches, our synagogues and our mosques. We do have a pretty progressive tax system. From what I have heard with some of the things that are being considered on the other side, it might be a little too difficult for the working poor.…”