This is your house, that you are not only welcome here but that we are very grateful to all of you for what you did in making it possible for us to be here.

The U.S. Government greatly regrets the tragic loss of life of Panamanians and Americans.

The path to a settlement can only be through peace and understanding and not through violence.

It is time we stopped talking about these problems and started doing something about them.

The additional one point reduction in withholding rates, taking effect sometime in February, will raise the gross national product for the rest of 1964 by some $3 to $4 billion over the level that would prevail under the 15 percent rate.

Tax reduction will not solve all our problems.

In summary: a reduction in the wage withholding rate to 14 percent immediately following enactment would more effectively achieve the economic objectives of the tax bill.

That support was never more needed or welcome, than it is now.

A reduction in the withholding rate to 14 percent, rather than to 15 percent, effective within one week of enactment, will compensate for the delay in enactment.

We need your help. We need it now.

I urge the Finance Committee to adopt a one-step reduction in withholding to 14 percent on all wages paid more than one week after enactment of H.R. 8363, while maintaining the same two-stage reduction in individual tax liabilities.