Charles Rangel: “we should thank the heavens that we have got such an honest person like the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay). They do…”

“we should thank the heavens that we have got such an honest person like the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay). They do not make people like that anymore. The gentleman from Georgia who spoke so eloquently about the welfare bill that we are talking about today, and those who made these nasty, disparaging remarks and left the floor, this is honesty. This is the United States of America. I wondered why, why would these good people, albeit Republicans, why would they drop a provision that only costs $3.5 billion that would help 12 million kids and 6.5 million working families? It is because in their minds if one is not an investor, one is on welfare. Do we get where they are finally coming from? Have Members listened to the debate? They said refundable tax credits. That is not a tax credit. You can work every day, you can pay Social Security taxes, you can pay Medicare, you can raise your family, you can join the Army, you can fight in Iraq. But guess what, look into the Republican book and see how you are listed. As a hardworking American, as a mother and father concerned about their children, someone struggling every day to make ends meet, to pay the rent, to pay the mortgage, to pay the tuition? No. Look under welfare. Then, of course, if we really want to find out who they think deserves tax relief, look at the hardworking people who get their dividends every day while they are at the clubhouse. Look at those that clip the coupons.”