Maurice Hinchey: “I want to join with my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle in recognizing the 91st birthday of former…”

“I want to join with my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle in recognizing the 91st birthday of former President Ronald Reagan and paying tribute to him. I particularly want to associate myself with the remarks which were made a few moments ago by the gentleman from Illinois. This is also an opportunity for us as we recognize former President Reagan to reflect for a few moments on his policies and to see if we can find within them some instructions for us in the present context. Having done so, I do find some instruction, and I think it could be helpful to the Members of the House as we approach some of the important issues which are before us today and for the rest of this 107th Congress. One of the first things that President Reagan did when he came into office was to offer a major tax cut, the effects of which were to cut taxes for the most affluent people in the country, the most financially successful people. He also proposed at the same time a very substantial increase in the military budget. We find ourselves at this moment facing a very similar situation: a President having proposed and succeeded in passing a massive tax cut last year, the primary benefits of which went to the richest people in the Nation, and also proposing a massive increase in military spending.”