Charles W. Stenholm: “I believe it deals fairly with the minimum wage question. But I continue to not understand why the majority party…”

“I believe it deals fairly with the minimum wage question. But I continue to not understand why the majority party continues to refuse to allow a substitute tax bill when there are sufficient Members on both sides of the aisle who I believe would like our version better than the version that is put before us. But here again, the fundamental question is why not allow a simple vote? Why not allow the package put together by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) to have the opportunity to have the will of the House worked? The bill that we will be voting on today continues the fiscal irresponsible pattern of legislation coming from the majority side that, once again, will squander our national surplus and our opportunity to deal with Social Security and Medicare. This, when one adds up this $122 billion unpaid for, will amount to something over $400 billion now voted by the House and by the Senate in spending the surplus that is not yet real. The tax bill that this rule will allow is the latest in the series of tax bills that will drain the projected budget surplus drip by drip without regard for the consequences. If we pass this bill today, it will be fiscally reckless for this body to continue to rush down this path of passing tax cuts and spending bills without a road map.”