Jack Kingston

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. That is absolutely ridiculous. As a result, the American middle class families now pay an average of 24 percent just in Federal income taxes, compared to their counterparts 20 years ago, who paid about 16 percent, and 30 years ago they paid about 5 percent. The average tax burden right now is 38 percent on average middle class families. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk to my colleagues about the IRS and about tax simplification and so forth, but before I do that, let me give my colleagues two more perspectives on $1 trillion. Shaq O'Neill makes about $30 million a year, $30 million a season, if you will. He would have to play 33,000 seasons to make $1 trillion. The man makes $30 million a year. He would have to play 33,000 seasons to make $1 trillion. That is ridiculous. Another definition. Our national budget each year is about $1.6 trillion. If you stuck $1 bills inside 50-foot boxcars on a train, that is about $65 million per boxcar. How long would the train be? Would you care to guess?

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, sometimes I do not know why we as government bureaucracies just do not think. There was a case of a school district that spent, listen to this, over $1,000 to obtain a government grant that had a $13 value. They used it to park their bus one day. They spent $1,000 to get a $13 grant. Does that make sense? There was another case, and the gentleman knows this, his committee ferreted it out, of about $81,000 in safe and drug-free school money that was spent buying dentures for toothbrushing lessons, which is important. Of course, I think it is a parent job, not an educator job. But that money should have gone into drug education. There was another one, and the gentleman from California [Mr. Cunningham] remembers his committee found out, out of a school system, and I think I am 90 percent sure of the State, but because of the 10 percent uncertainty I will not say it, but they spent the safe-and- drug-free school money, $171,000 on a 3-day retreat. That is absurd. That is a waste of money. None of that money got to the teacher and to the child in the classroom.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California, who wants to make a few more remarks, and then I want to pick the brain of the gentleman from the Committee on Ways and Means and talk about the IRS. If the gentleman from California, the other gentleman, wants to join us, he is welcome to.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, these are senior citizens who lived through the Depression. They are frugal. The gentleman is talking about my dad. He was raised in Brooklyn, NY. He fought and he saved, and because of the results of foregoing some pleasures and sacrificing a lot, he has savings now. Because of our tax system, he cannot pass that on. He is not a wealthy man, but he is a middle-class guy who saved. Because of that, he is now being penalized. That is the same person the gentleman is talking about: the seniors in Arizona, they are in Georgia, they are all over the United States of America.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, if the American people, let us just say, had $50 more in their pocket because the Federal Government did not take that money, we confiscate it now, but if we left $50 more in the pockets of, say, 200 million Americans, that would be another $10 billion in the economy. Will that $50 dollars in your pocket send to college? No. But you will go out to eat more often; you might buy another pair of shoes, another pair of socks, a belt. And when you do that, small businesses will expand to react to that $10 billion infusion of money into the economy. When those small businesses expand, jobs are created. When more jobs are created, more people go to work. When more people go to work, less people are on welfare and other public assistance programs and more tax revenues come in. President Reagan and President Kennedy both proved this through tax cuts in the 1960's and the 1980's. If we today just give our average amount of tax relief, we would be creating more jobs and increasing revenues. I strongly feel that is very consistent with deficit reduction.

Mr. KINGSTON. Please do not tell me.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for joining with me. We have just a few minutes to close. I want to say this: In Washington we have an administration that loves big government and talks about the big government being over with. Yet in the State of the Union Address, I think there were introduced 123 new spending programs. The American people are real good. They are far better than any law that the U.S. Congress can pass. People are better than laws. What we need to do in America is empower people, not lawyers and not police states and so forth, but people. Give you an example, last year 90 million Americans volunteered over 4 hours a week for charity. That is about 19 billion man-hours a year voluntary. If you round that out at $10 an hour, that is $190 billion volunteered last year by Americans. Add that to the monetary contributions, which is about $150 billion a year, you have an American public that can give and give and give. It is far superior to the form of government that we have in so many cases to deliver goods and services to people back home. Our colleagues in Washington need to recognize that. Get off the people's back. Let them do their own thing.

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentleman from Arizona for joining me.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, let me give the gentleman a statistic that was sent to me by my friend, a Dr. Whitaker of Warner Robins, GA. In 1913 when the original income tax went into effect, if you had an income of $20,000, your tax rate was 1 percent. If you average out a $20,000 income in 1913 to today's dollars, that would be the equivalent of making $298,000 a year. So for us today to have the same rates as we originally had on the income tax in 1913, someone making $298,000 a year would have a tax rate today of 1 percent. So the tax rate has just gone up and up and up and up, since we know that not to be the case. Even somebody making $20,000 a year would jump on paying the 1-percent tax. Incidentally, the highest tax in 1913, the highest percentage was 7 percent. And now the average for middle-class Americans is about 24 percent, easily 30 percent for many people, and 33 percent and on up.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, as a father of four children I certainly share the concern that so many people have expressed about our children. That is why I am hoping that many Members on that side will join us in the passage of a balanced budget amendment. As we know, yesterday, because of the New Jersey Senator, the balanced budget appears to be dead in the U.S. Senate. But, as my colleagues know, if we are going to balance the budget we have to have that constraint. It is the same constraint my colleagues and I have in our households; it is the constraints that parents have when they are saying no to their children who want more of this and more of that. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough] mentioned earlier that if we continue on the path we are on, our children will have a tax rate of 89 percent just to maintain the present level of goods and services in America. While I know there are Members of the House who want a brand new entitlement program, I think it is very important that we look at what are we going to do for tomorrow's children. If we want to help the children of tomorrow, we should not enslave them with an 80- or 90- percent tax burden. Reach out to them and let them share in the American dream so that they can go out and help another generation.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, when no one else was able to help, U.S. Coast Guard helicopter 6573, based at the USCG Air Station in Savannah, GA, swung into action to carry a 3-year-old burn victim from Statesboro, GA to much needed treatment in Savannah, GA. The air station staff's heroic actions are detailed in the following letter from Bulloch Co. EMS/Rescue Director Lee Eckles: Bulloch County EMS/Rescue, Statesboro, Ga, October 27, 1996. Adm. Robert E. Kramek, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC. Dear Admiral Kramek, I realize how busy you must be, but when it comes to expressing ones thanks for saving the life of a child, I felt like you just might have a few minutes to read this letter. On September 25, 1996, our department was dispatched to respond to a ``burn patient'' some ten (10) miles away from our station. With no other information available, we responded. Arriving at the scene, our staff found a three year old female with second and third degree burns covering over seventy percent of her body. Within twenty-five minutes of our dispatch time, the child was receiving primary care treatment at our local hospital. It was clear from first observations that this three year old would need the specialized care of the ``Burn Center'' ninety miles to our west, in order to have any chance of survival. Due to the extent and severity of the burns and the fact that she had suffered extensive airway burns, transport time to the burn center would have a significant impact on her survival. Air transport was the only option. The regional Trauma Center in Savannah, fifty miles to our east has the only civilian medivac helicopter available in all of South Georgia. Upon making the request, I was notified that their helicopter was out of service for maintance. They did however, quickly refer us to the military M.A.S.T. helicopter unit at Fort Stewart. As I dialed the phone, I remembered from my military tour of duty with the Coast Guard (1978- 1981), the bureaucratic process that would have to be overcome in order for a military aircraft to be approved for use on a civilian medivac mission. The desk sergeant quickly transferred my call to the duty officer. My first comment to the Major was to apologize for my sense of urgency, but a child's life was on the line. Simply stated, I ask if his M.A.S.T. Helicopter could be airborne in five minutes or less for a medivac flight. His response was brief and very direct ``It will take me at least thirty minutes to find someone who is capable of giving authorization,'' I thanked him for his time, and hung up the phone. I realized at that point we were out of options. One of my staff members, feeling helpless said ``why don't you call the Coast Guard, I know they have a helicopter.'' With nothing but the cost of a phone call to lose, I called the Coast Guard Air Station in Savannah Georgia. One again, I explained the urgency of my request. This time however, the response was different. With-in five minutes, USCG 6573 was airborne and enroute to the Statesboro Municipal Airport. To make a long story short, the Coast Guard answered the call for help when no one else was available. The medivac mission was carried out without a hitch. Our every request was quickly accommodated. Every one involved, from the pilots and air crew to the individuals operating the telephone played an extremely crucial role in the critical care transport of Stacie Martin. At this point in time, I am not certain about Stacie's outcome because of the extent and severity of her injuries. One thing I certainly know, is the role played by All Coast Guard Personnel involved will be credited with every positive milestone that Stacie overcomes on her long road to recovery. For four years, stationed at USCG Group Charleston, being a SAR small boat coxswain, the Coast Guard Motto, Semper Paratus, seldom took on a very significant meaning. However, on Wednesday, September 25, 1996, being ``Always ready'' had a much greater meaning than each and every day of my brief Coast Guard career. On that Wednesday, it seemed that the bureaucracy worked against Stacie, until Coast Guard assistance was requested. No bureaucracy, no delay, no excuses, simply immediate response, few questions, and extraordinary execution of duty and responsibility by all USCG personnel involved. I have always been proud of the many roles that I was involved in while a member of the Coast Guard, but never as impressed as I was on Wednesday the 25th. I realize how truly insignificant our language and my own vocabulary really is when trying to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to everybody at the Coast Guard Air Station in Savannah, and to the personnel at the District Office in Miami. This is truly a case of one of the most outstanding humanitarian missions ever undertaken by my former branch of service. There were probably many people who were involved whose names I did not have a chance to document, but those names I do have are as follows: Captain Clark--OSR Miami. Captain Thomas W. Sechler--OIC, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah. Lieutenant Richard Craig--Pilot. Lieutenant Thomas Gaffney--Pilot. Glenn Boggs--AD1. William (Bill) DeCamp--ASM2. Lieutenant Pat Ryan. Rob Jerger--AM3. Mike Forchette--AE1. I know these people and all others involved in this mission were only doing their job, but, speaking in behalf, of the family of Stacie Martin, the Bulloch County Department of Public Safety, Bulloch County EMS/RESCUE, and our entire community, I wish again to express a very heartfelt thanks. The entire United States Coast Guard came through in our time of need. It was truly an answered prayer. I know we at EMS/RESCUE in Bulloch County will never be able to repay all those involved, but, if you ever have any need here in our community, please don't hesitate to call. Very Sincerely, Lee Echies, Director.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, one of our leading State representatives will be retiring this year, Mr. John Godbee. I have known Laura and John Godbee for over 10 years. When I was first elected to the Georgia General Assembly, both stretched out an open arm of welcome to Libby and me. They helped us find our way not only around Atlanta but around the State government. As a leader from south Georgia, John was a strong advocate for agriculture, education, and commonsense government. He was a staunch supporter of Georgia Southern University, helping them to obtain university status and leading the way toward their explosive period of growth. Georgia Southern, today, has truly benefited and become nationally known because of leaders like John Godbee. John also stood up for primary education. As a former school principal, he helped other representatives understand the inner workings of our educational process. He was a strong advocate for teachers and a true champion for the children of Georgia. During his tenure in the legislature, we passed the Quality Basic Education Act, which was the most comprehensive reform of Georgia's education system in history. Once this important piece of legislation was passed, however, John did not forget education. He kept working on it and each year tried to fine tune and expand the better portions of the program. As a member from a rural area, he was a strong voice for Georgia's farmers. As a member of the agriculture committee, John helped pass the law designating Vidalia onion counties. As a result, the Vidalia onion is now known nationally and internationally as one of the best, sweet onion products in the world. It has truly put our part of Georgia in the international marketplace. John also worked hard for boll weevil eradication, forestry, and commonsense environmental laws. Members like John Godbee have made Georgia the great State that it is, John and Laura Godbee have been typical of Georgia's great leaders. They have strong Christian ethics and family values. Their children are all productive members of society and will be carrying on the torch for the next generation. But in addition to their immediate family, their extended family--the citizens of Georgia, have been true beneficiaries of their many personal sacrifices. I congratulate John on 16 years of successful leadership, and I join others in wishing Laura and him the best.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, State Representative Dorothy Pelote of Savannah, GA has been educating the members of the Georgia General Assembly, as well as the entire State of Georgia, about the dangers of a silent killer, carbon monoxide poisoning. In an effort to assist Representative Pelote, I am submitting the following information to educate my fellow Members of Congress as well as the Nation about the dangers of this deadly gas. A Silent Killer In September of 1995, tennis star Vitus Gerulaitis died in his sleep in his home from carbon monoxide fumes from a pool heater. A Cleveland, Ohio man, John Reed, his three children, a family friend and the family dog all died shortly before Christmas from carbon monoxide poisoning as the result of a bird's nest blocking their home's furnace flue. While deaths such as these are shocking, I was even more astounded to learn that more than 250 people die in their homes each year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning and another 3,900 are made ill. (According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.) Most of the victims of this ``silent killer,'' like Gerulaitis and the Reed family, fall asleep and never wake up. According to an article by Cora Daniels, staff writer for the Asbury Park Press, carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is a byproduct of incomplete combustion, or burning with limited oxygen. When it is inhaled, it is absorbed into the blood and displaces oxygen by latching onto hemoglobin, the molecule that carries the blood's oxygen throughout the body. While early symptoms can seem like a case of the flu, increased exposure can cause heart attacks, brain damage, coma and death. The humans do not detect carbon monoxide until they have already been poisoned. The gas is especially harmful to an unborn fetus, which can be permanently damaged while the mother goes relatively unaffected. Young children, the elderly, smokers and those with heart or respiratory conditions are also more at risk. Better insulated houses resulting from the fuel crisis of the 1970's has lead to the increased dangers of carbon monoxide buildup. In most instances, carbon monoxide seeps into the home through faulty heaters that use fuels like oil, natural gas, kerosene, coal or wood. Carbon monoxide can also come from fireplaces with inadequate ventilation, clothes dryers, water heaters, and cars warming up in attached garages. Since 1973, carbon monoxide detectors have been available, with approximately 20 different kinds of detectors on the market, costing anywhere from $50 to $100. I urge the American public to be more aware of the hazards of this silent killer and learn how to prevent it from happening to themselves and their loved ones.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a story of a true hero. It is fitting and proper for Congress to recognize Mr. Antonio Brown for his gallant effort. We need more citizens like him. [From the Savannah Morning News, June 28, 1996] Man Shot Trying To Thwart Armed Robbery (By John Cheves and Keith Paul) Antonio L. Brown wasn't going to stand quietly and watch a mugging. Not on his street. Not when the victim was a friend. Instead, Brown was shot in the head at about 11 p.m. Wednesday after he attempted to thwart the armed robbery on the 600 block of East Duffy Street, just a stone's throw from his family's home. He remained in critical condition Thursday night at Memorial Medical Center. The 21-year-old Savannah High School graduate was standing in his small front yard late Wednesday, relatives said. When Brown looked west down Duffy Street, he saw the attempted mugging of a male friend. ``He said, `I just can't let that happen like that,' and then he walked over there,'' said nephew Rajai Steward on Thursday. Added Savannah police Detective Deborah A. Robinson, ``Brown stepped in between the two to stop the robbery. He was trying to fight with the assailant and was shot once in the head.'' Police searched Thursday for the suspected gunman, Jarrett Myers, 20, of 413 E. Waldburg St. Police filed warrants charging Myers with aggravated assault. Brown knew Myers casually, but the two weren't friends, Brown's family said. The 600 block of East Duffy Street is a narrow, dead-end road that sits in the heart of ``Area C,'' a midtown neighborhood generally considered the poorest and most violent part of Savannah. But Brown, known as Tony to friends, wasn't the type of man to walk away from a threat in a hostile environment, relatives said. ``I look at him as a hero, Steward said. ``A lot of * * * men, they wouldn't have gotten involved.'' Brown's wife, Jacqueline Steward, said Brown had just been hired as a bricklayer here in Savannah, and he had a strong work ethic. ``He was the type of person, he didn't bother with nobody,'' she said. ``He didn't hang out on the street or sell drugs, or anything like that.''

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Carol Howard, a resident of Savannah, GA and the First Congressional District of Georgia, authored a poem that I think will touch many hearts. The poem is dedicated to her son, Scott Alexander, and her granddaughter, Yael Jordan. It is inspired by Father Jim Mayo. There Once Was a Child (SONG OF AN UNBORN BABE) (By Carol C. Howard) Dedicated to my son, Scott Alexander and my granddaughter Yael Jordan and inspired by Father Jim Mayo. There once was a child of grace, gentle of spirit and fair of face, who came to be in early spring, blessed by the kiss of an angel's wing. The angel stood beside a Throne, he told the babe, ``He was God's own, and that with his December birth, would come a man to change the earth!'' ``For God has chosen you, sweet one, to try and right the wrongs they've done, to catch the flag before it falls, once you are big and strong and tall. The greatest land the world has known will, by your birth, become your home, though other lands have been led by kings, the land you'll lead has been kissed with angel's wings.'' He placed the babe within a room; he heard a lullabye in his mother's womb. Her voice was as the summer breeze that rocked him as a gentle sea. The child though smaller than a hummingbird, would turn his head at Mommy's word. He loved her more each passing day, this child who loved to kick and play. ``Dear Mommy, I know that I am small and it will be awhile before I'm tall. I'll make you very proud of me, cause I'll be lots of help, you'll see.'' His days were filled with great delights; he kicked and played with all his might; then summer rain hushed him to sleep. The tiny child gave not a peep. The Lord, called the angel to his Throne, His tear-filled eyes like bright stars shone; ``They have no room for him, you see, the way they had no room for Me.'' The angel sad, with head cast down, with lonely eyes he looked around. ``These men that Thou hast made like Thee care not for life because it's free.'' The angel then with sorrowed eyes journeyed far beneath the skies, beyond the moon's impassioned plea he shook his head and took his leave. The angel said with gentle tone, ``Remember Heaven is your home, beyond the clouds and past Death's Door, the Father waits forevermore!'' As morning slipped right past the night the world was eager for it's light; The sun in sorrow hid his face from earth, and man and time and place. In a fury came the rains. For Heaven's cries was the child's pain. He was thrown into a bucket cold with no one there, his hand to hold. A tiny hand reached out to find a mother's face, the love that binds. But, all alone, in fear, he cried, then closed his eyes, And then he died. Years later, on a cold, bleak day, a woman closed her eyes to pray. A tear upon her pale cheek lay; ``Forgive, me child I threw away.'' An angel came to take her home; he said he was her very own. ``I love you mom, more than you know, Come take my hand, it's time to go . . .

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I'm submitting the following, written by Nadra Enzi. These appeared in the Savannah Newspress and certainly make strong points for our society and government to consider. [From the Savannah Morning News, Aug. 31, 1996] (By Nadra Enzi) Ordinary Citizens Combat Racist Graffiti Editor: On May 22, while walking through Myers Park, an excited group of black girls called me over to its beautiful gazebo. Puzzled, I strolled toward them and was treated to what they saw: intricate (not run-of-the-mill) white supremacist symbols, slogans and generally racist statements literally covered the gazebo's floor, railing and support beams. Satisfied that adult attention was brought into the matter, they left, leaving me with a particularly golden opportunity to take action against an act of hate speech perpetrated in the heart of my historically predominant black community. Given the gazebo's proximity to a nearby black church, I immediately walked there, wondering if this graffiti was connected to the black church burning campaign occurring nationally. After showing its three occupants the scene, one of them, retired high school principal Richard Mole, called the police. A unit arrived and its lone officer, also black, was so disturbed by what he saw that goose bumps raised on his arms. Contacting his supervisor, who personally inspected the scene, including a note left behind, we were told that an investigation would be launched. The next morning I called the city's Leisure Services Department, which referred my complaint to the direct of Park and Trees. He personally called and told me that he'd have a crew there to photograph and remove the graffiti later that morning (which he did). Later, a white male teen was arrested at the nearby McDonald's for defacing its men's room in the same fashion. It is the personal responsibility of myself and every person of goodwill to ensure that this sort of criminal receives the maximum punishment possible. Otherwise, the crime receives a (pun intended) hoodwink and a high-five.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Marvin Brown, a resident of Savannah, GA and the First Congressional District of Georgia, joined the ranks of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Winston Churchill when he was recently awarded one of Austria's highest commendations. Mr. Brown's achievements were highlighted in the August 23, 1996 edition of the Georgia Guardian: Thank you for your assistance in this matter. [From the Georgia Guardian, August 23-29, 1996] Marvin Brown awarded Austrian Commendation (By Thom Nezbeda) To read of Marvin Brown's accomplishments with the Georgia Salzburger Society is to be impressed. He may have joined the organization ``late in life,'' as he put it, but what he's lost in time has certainly been more than made up for in performance. He first joined the Georgia Salzburger Society, the national organization devoted to preserving Salzburger history and heritage, in 1979. ``I had been hearing that I was a Salzburger,'' Brown said. ``Jackie [his wife] and I went to a meeting out of curiosity, and that got us involved.'' He held the position of president for the society from 1990 to 1992. His first trip to ``the Old Country'' came in 1981, and he's led several tours of the state of Salzburg and other areas of Austria for fellow society members since then. ``We got started [traveling to Austria] back in 1981,'' said Brown, ``just `babes in the woods'. We were just tourists then.'' Subsequent trips as tour guides and opportunities to meet Austrian officials visiting the United States for society activities have raised them above tourist status. ``It all fell in place,'' Brown said in a tone that seems to suggest he and his wife are taking it all in stride. ``This is how we became guests of the Austrian government on one occasion; guests of the Roman Catholic archbishop on another occasion. We've really had some wonderful things happen.'' Brown's accomplishments don't stop there. Besides being a guest on Austrian television talk shows, and presenting keys to the City of Savannah to two Salzburg governors, Brown and his wife were appointed area coordinators for the Austrian Olympic Sailing Team. As such, they helped coordinate a wreath-laying ceremony at the Salzburger Monument on Bay Street. Members of the Georgia Salzburger Society, Mayor Floyd Adams Jr., and a delegation of Austrian government and industry leaders took part in the ceremony. After the ceremony, the group retired to a downtown restaurant for a late lunch. That's when Brown, to his total surprise, received what is probably the largest feather in his cap to date: he was awarded the Grand Decoration of Honour of the State of Salzburg, in appreciation of his efforts to promote good will between Salzburger descendants and the country from which they came. The honor, one of Austria's highest commendations, was given by Engelbert Wenckheim, the vice president of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. ``I really was definitely shocked; there's no other word for it,'' Brown said. According to Ulf Pacher of the Austrian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the commendation is the highest decoration awarded by the province of Salzburg. ``The medal is pretty exclusive,'' he said. ``It's not given out that often--it's rarely awarded.'' By receiving the award, Brown becomes part of an exclusive group of individuals including Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower, among others.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that, and I certainly hope that the Democrats who are so hung up on bringing down Newt Gingrich to the extent of breaking House rules in terms of issues in front of the Ethics Committee, will show equal compassion and curiosity when we review the Gephardt ethics allegations and a lot of other ethics allegations on some of their Members. If we are going to bring this House down to such partisan fervency, then maybe my colleagues want to consider that. Why does the Democrat Party not concern themselves with why the President will not reveal his health care records? Why Susan McDougal will not talk but would rather go to jail even if, as the President has publicly said, a pardon is out there? Why do my colleagues not have any curiosity of who hired Craig Livingstone? Let us just admit, this is politicking on taxpayer time, with taxpayer equipment, in a taxpayer-paid facility. I hope my colleagues will also wonder why they do not have drug testing at the White House. If we are going to get into this, Mr. Speaker, this is a double-edged sword and I hope the House does not fall for this.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, to the middle class in America, there is one question now: Are you working longer and harder and have less to show for it? Are you concerned that, while you may be better off than your parents were, will your children be better off than you are? Are you concerned that your children will not be able to share in the American dream; or has big government, irresponsible bureaucratic policies, command and control Washington politics, stolen the American dream from our children? I believe that it has. I am not going to say it is the only cause, the only threat to the American dream, but it certainly is a significant one. As Washington grows, our own personal freedoms contract. We lose freedom with every new regulation, with every new law, with every new tax, with every new bureaucracy. In the 1950's, the average American family paid 5 percent Federal income tax. Today it is 24 percent. That means that the average family is a two-income family, with 38 percent of the family income going to pay the Federal Government. What does that mean? Mom and dad wake up in the morning all over America at 6:30 a.m., run downstairs, put Pop Tarts in the toaster, wake up Junior and little Sally, say, ``It is time to get ready for school. I know you are tired because you stayed up last night doing your homework and playing soccer, and so forth.'' Then they try to give them a quick breakfast, hoping everybody remembers to make his or her bed, brush his or her teeth. They rush them out the door. Dad kisses mom good-bye, she runs off to her job, he runs off to his job, they see each other again at 6 o'clock at night. At 6 o'clock at night it is car pool time, it is quick dinnertime, it is bath time, it is homework, and it is bedtime at 8:30 to 9, and then they start all over again. It is a doggoned rat race. The problem is, the Federal Government is as guilty of creating it as everything that has ever happened inside the homeplace. The reason why, as much as anything else, is this huge, growing bureaucracy that has to feed upon the taxes of the middle-class members of society. The people who are out there busting their tail, day in and day out, are feeding the Washington bureaucracy. It is time to say enough is enough. In the early 1960's when President Kennedy cut taxes, with the top rate from 91 percent to 70 percent, the economy grew by over 42 percent. In the 1980's Reagan cut the top tax rate from 70 percent to 28 percent. As a result, the economy grew by 32 percent. Even in the 1920's, when income taxes were cut from 73 percent to 25 percent, the economy grew by 59 percent. What does that mean? That means that businesses grow and, as businesses grow, jobs are created. Jobs are created, more revenue comes into the folks in Washington, DC, so you can balance the budget and lower the deficit by cutting taxes. Just look at the tax cut that Dole and Kemp have proposed. If you are making $30,000 a year, if that is your family income, under the current tax plan, you are paying $1,700 in taxes. With this, you would be paying $500. The savings to families are $1,200. I ask the middle class in America today, what would you do if you had $1,200 more today in spendable income? Maybe a little bit for college education accounts, maybe a few more shoes, a few more hamburgers, a few more CD's, maybe fixing your car up from that dent you got 6 months ago that you cannot quite fix. That is what it means. This is the real world. In Washington, the elitists up here in the bureaucracy and the press always say, how are you going to pay for it? I do not remember any of them asking in 1993 when President Clinton passed the largest tax increase in the history of America, I do not remember anybody going back to the middle class of America and saying, how are you going to pay for this? You know, the President is about to stick it to you. He is going to get another $500 or $600 from you. How are you going to pay for it? Because they know the answer. Mom and dad are going to continue working hard and busting their tail and doing the right thing, and the fat cat bureaucrats in Washington are going to continue to lap it up and enjoy it. Think about what this tax cut means to a single mother with two children making $30,000 a year. Under the current tax system, under President Clinton, that lady pays $2,300 a year. Under the Dole plan she would pay $1,000 a year. That means to that single woman with two children, she would have another $1,300 in her wallet. Do you not think she can spend that money a lot better than the Department of Human Resources or the Department of Education, or the Department of the Interior up here in Washington? Let us give the middle class in America a break. Let us return to them the freedom that they have earned that has been handed down from the previous generation, and let us not kill them and choke them off with excessive taxes the way we are going now.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Not that I know of. But the fact is that this is available publicly. What is very important is that we do Medicare on a bipartisan basis. It is not time to scare the seniors. It is not time to bring out all the demagoguery and partisan politics. It is time only to save the program for your mom and dad.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio. I wanted to show this chart, which apparently the previous speaker might not have read the bill, but it does show clearly that the Republican plan, which is a reaction to the Clinton trustees saying that Medicare is going bankrupt, our plan to strengthen, save, and preserve Medicare is very much on target and increases the amount per recipient from about $5,200 to over $7,000. In my neck of the woods and I think in Ohio that is not considered a cut. I know here in Lala land, Washington, DC, you can call anything a cut, just as you can call Clinton a conservative.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, let me say this to my friend from New Jersey. If he truly believes that information, which obviously his speech writer was inhaling when he wrote, then I would like to challenge him here and now for a debate on the environment on the House floor. Usually during special hours when the Democrats have the floor, they do not yield to Republicans. I will do it on my own hour to debate such outrageous fantasy about cuts in the environment. The fact is we have a $5 trillion debt. The Republican Party is trying to put sanity and commonsense reforms both in environmental legislation and in all government legislation. I think it is very important to cut out the rhetoric and get back to the fact that the children in America, a baby born today, owes $187,000 over the next 75 years just in interest on the national debt. It is time for the Democratic Party to quit hiding its head inside the sand, quit coming out with the partisan demagoguery and face the real problem of trying to balance the budget and have commonsense reforms in government. I hope my friend will debate me.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, two more ridiculous big government taxes have been put out by the Clinton administration this week. The first one is under the name of safety in the workplace as respects violence. This is an OSHA proposal, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, megabureaucrats who love to come into small businesses and tell them what they are already doing. This is what their proposal is. They have, through a study, detected that there is a lot of violence at night at convenience stores, restaurants, and hotels, and places that are open 24 hours a day. So what do the Washington big government bureaucrats do? Instead of saying, maybe, that we need to address violence in society, maybe more police officers, maybe look into something that we can do, instead of going to businesses and saying, how can we help you with the problems of violence, they go to businesses and say, what are you going to do about it? So the businesses now, through a new OSHA proposal, will be required, if this passes, to have bulletproof glass; cash registers only at street level, so if people are driving by they can see if they are being held up or not; video cameras, speed bumps, speed bumps in hotels and restaurants because that will cut down on the violence. I can just see some drug dealer saying, come on, do not rob that convenience store, they have speed bumps there; that will keep me from doing it. There is a requirement also that you have no more than $25 in your cash register at one time, and have paperwork and training for your employees. This is what the Clinton administration's view of private businesses are about: We are from the government, we are going to go into the convenience stores, the hotels and the restaurants all up and down the interstates, and anywhere else they might be open 24 hours a day, and say this is what you have to have. If you do not have it, guess who will be happy to sue you? Their friends in the legal community. This is just big, crazy, insane Washington bureaucracy out of control, and these are Clinton appointees who are pushing it. What else is on the Clinton agenda? A new tax on backpacks and bird calls. This one comes from the Department of the Interior. This is one that the Clinton-appointed Secretary of the Interior says ``This is a win-win situation.'' What they want to do is put up to a 5-percent tax on the following items, Madam Speaker: Backpacks. That means all you little schoolkids going off, you are going to have to start paying 5 percent more for the Clinton administration tax on you; camping stoves, camping fuel, camping tarpaulins, camping utensils. That little fork is going to cost you 5 percent more if Secretary Babbitt has his way. Dry bags. I guess nobody would take wet bags on a trip. Hiking boots, hiking equipment, spray skirts for kayaks, tents, paddles, wild bird baths, film, camera, lenses. Boy, I am glad they came out with this after the Olympics. Also photo disks, binoculars; and just think, binoculars are not the only one they are picking on, monoculars, also, so you cannot get around this; tripods, window mounts, hand lenses, ``how-to'' guides. When I was a kid I used to like to, and still do, liked to collect reptiles and amphibians. There is a great field guide by a man named Roger Konack. If I bought that when I was a 10-year-old or my 11-year- old son buys it, Mr. Babbitt wants my son John to pay 5 percent more on a field guide, so when he goes out and identifies fishes, reptiles, amphibians, or other insects and buys other ``how-to'' guides, he is going to have to pay extra, because the Department of the Interior needs money. This is the kind of mega-big-government thinking we do not need. This is why we do not need 4 more years of Bill Clinton and the megabureaucrats. We need to put people who have common sense and have normal values and realize that the middle-class people in America are sick and tired of their taxes going up. In the 1950's, the average middle-class family paid 5-percent Federal income tax. Today that same middle-income family pays 24-percent Federal income tax. People are sick and tired of it. They are working harder. They are getting less to show for it. They are concerned that their children are not going to be better off than they are. They are concerned that big government and Washington bureaucrats are stealing the American dream. Madam Speaker, I think under Bill Clinton that is what is going on. We need to have commonsense reform in government. We need to have a balanced budget. We need to have local control of government decisions, not being made by Washington bureaucracy. We need to have commonsense in government, not bureaucrats making all the decisions. Madam Speaker, I include for the Record the Teaming With Wildlife Product List. The information referred to follows: Teaming With Wildlife Product List The following list is a draft of those products being considered for a user fee. Before this list is incorporated into the draft legislation, we are asking companies, customers (users) and coalition members to provide feedback on this list, as well as other details of the proposal. The products listed below would have a graduated user fee of \1/ 4\%-5% of the manufacturer's price. The user fee must not act as a barrier to a product's sale. Beside each category is a suggested level for the user fee. Feedback from companies and consumers will help determine the final list of products and the percent to apply to each. outdoor recreation equipment (5%) Backpacks Camping stoves Camping stove fuel Camping tarps Camping utensils (connected/folding) Canoes Canteens Climbing equipment Compasses Cooking kits Dry Bags Flotation vests (selected classes--not standard life boat vests) Hiking boots Hiking staves Kayaks/Spray skirts Mountain bicycles Outdoor sleeping mats Skis/Poles/Boots (cross-country, downhill, telemark) Sleeping bags Snowshoes Tents Paddles Portable water purifiers Prepacked camp foods Scuba diving masks/Snorkels/Goggles/Flippers Snowboards Stuff sacks Wet suits/Air tanks/Regulators/Spearguns Whitewater rafts backyard and wildlife products (5%) Wild bird seed and other wild animal feed (except seed packaged for pet feed) Wild animal and wild bird feeders such as hummingbird feeders, suet feeders and other types of feeders Wild bird baths Wild bird houses, bat houses, squirrel houses and houses constructed for use by other wildlife Nest platforms for wild birds Books, videos, audio (5%) Field guides to bird identification, nest identification, animal tracks, mammals, fishes, butterflies, insects and other animal groups ``How-to'' guides such as wildlife viewing guides, hiking and paddling guides, etc. Audio tapes of wildlife calls CD-Rom guides to wildlife and its enjoyment BINOC, monoc and spot scopes (5%) Binoculars Hand lenses Monoculars Spotting scopes Tripods Window mounts Photographic equipment and supplies (2-3%) Cameras Film Lenses Lens filters Photo disc Range finders (including those designed for use with photographic cameras and parts thereof) recreational vehicles (RV's) (\1/4\%-\1/2\%, no more than $100) Campers/Motor homes/Travel trailers sport utility vehicles (\1/4\%, no more than $100)

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask the American people, are you working harder and harder every day, every month, every year, and having less to show for it? Are you concerned that your children will not be better off than you are? Are you worried that they will not be able to enjoy and share the American dream as we know it? Do you have concerns that big Government, wasteful spending, and big bureaucracy has stolen the American dream? I have those concerns. The Republican Congress and many Members on the Democrat side have those concerns, too. We have worked for a balanced budget. We have worked for commonsense reform of the bureaucracy. We have worked for affordable and accessible health care. We have worked to reduce taxes. It concerns met that President Clinton, when he talked about tax cuts at the Democrat Convention, actually his proposals increased taxes over $64 billion, new dollars. We do not need to increase taxes at this time. The American middle class people need tax relief, not additional taxes. Mr. Speaker, we need to refused the size of government. We need to reduce spending. We do not need to increase taxes at this time.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.