Joe Barton

Mr. BARTON of Texas

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I only have two more speakers, myself and the other chief sponsor. So I would like to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Idaho [Mrs. Chenoweth].

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Christensen]. (Mr. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield the 6 minutes that I control back to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Canady] to use as he may wish to; I yield the 6 minutes that I still control.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Tauzin].

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida [Mr. Stearns].

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Graham.]

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Salmon].

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. The gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] talked about the lack of senior Members speaking on behalf of this amendment. So far today we have had the chairman of the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Goodling, speak in favor; the chairman of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from New York, Mr. Solomon, speak in favor; the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Archer, speak in favor; the chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, Mr. Saxton, speak in favor. We expect to have the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee speak in favor later this evening. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Hayworth].

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California [Mrs. Seastrand].

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Lewis] used the term of ``den of iniquity'' and the room is the Committee on Ways and Means where we drafted this language. That was the only point I was trying to make. I did not refer to that as the den of iniquity.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am not referring to anything.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. Mr. Speaker, I must address the remarks of the distinguished gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Lewis]. Mr. Speaker, the den of iniquity that the gentleman referred to where this specific language was actually drafted was a Committee on Ways and Means hearing room right across the hall. There have certainly been some shady deals discussed in that room over the past, but this is not one of them. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox]. (Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas [Mr. Stockman]. (Mr. STOCKMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton], the distinguished chairman of the Joint Economic Committee. (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is correct. Those bills would have met the de minimis exception.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. That is correct.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. If the replacement tax raised the same amount or less revenue than the current tax, then the answer is yes.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. That is correct, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would tell the gentleman, that is correct.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Archer], the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to debate it if the gentleman wishes to.

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would tell the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Gibbons], I did read that memo.