David Thomas: “One of the phrases that struck my ear from the minority leader was as far as taxes are concerned, it appears that it is…”

“One of the phrases that struck my ear from the minority leader was as far as taxes are concerned, it appears that it is going to be my way or the highway. Mr. Speaker, one of the difficulties we have with that is that when you look at this motion to recommit, it really seems that the line ought to be as far as permanent rate reduction is concerned, no way. Let us look at the motion to recommit. It says that we have to send it back to committee and wait until the budget for fiscal year 2002 is completed. Now I know that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle had trouble with a 7-page bill. It is 7 pages. But actually you only had to get to page 2. You only had to get to page 2. Look at line 17 on page 2, what does it say. On page 2, line 17 as far as rate reductions, it says, ``In case of taxable years beginning after December 31, 2000.'' Let us see. If it is after December 31, 2000, that means 2001. What you heard the Speaker of the House say in the well is that we are currently in fiscal year 2001. If you are concerned about paying down the debt, then God bless you if you voted for the budget in 2001, because by the end of this fiscal year we will have paid down an additional $650 billion on the debt.”