Scott McInnis

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I make that a point of order, the same comment.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry as to whether or not the gentlewoman's words are a violation in regards to the Johnny-come-lately comments and so on, questioning the motives of the Member.

Mr. McINNIS. But in general? Mr. Speaker, let me ask, in general, is it in order to engage in personalities on the House floor?

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the State of Florida [Ms. Ros-Lehtinen].

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the fine and patient gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas]. (Mr. GEKAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Riggs].

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to note that yesterday the Committee on Rules heard testimony from three Democrats who are in support of the automatic continuing resolution, talking about an amendment. One of them spoke very eloquently, I thought, on its effectiveness at the State level, and we should keep that in mind. Second of all, I think the key issue here is to get assistance to the women and children that need it, and not spend our very valuable time on this House floor arguing about the pride of authorship, which is exactly what I think has occurred on the other side of the aisle. I think it is best to step over that, and let us discuss the rule and let us pass the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Foley].

Mr. McINNIS

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

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak this evening for a few moments about the death tax. That is a tax that the U.S. Government applies to many of us, will apply to many of us, the second your heart stops beating. It is a tax which will get to us quicker than the undertaker will get to us. It is a tax on success in our country. It is a tax against the average American family in our country. It is a tax that destroys families. In our country, 70 percent of small business will not survive a second generation. In our country, 87 percent of small business will not survive a third generation. What is a big component of this failure for small business or family farms, and homes, to go from one generation to the next generation? What is that awful, heat-seeking missile? It is the death tax administered upon average Americans in this country by the U.S. Government. Now let us take a look at the taxes that we have in this country. We have a Federal tax, we have a State tax, we have a local tax, we have a property tax, we have a sales tax, we have an airplane ticket tax, we have a heating fuel tax, we have tax after tax after tax. But that is not enough for a government that sometimes finds it too easy to become greedy to get money out of our wallets. They have to do one more strike at us, one more strike at our hard work, one more strike at our families' ability to try and pass something on to the next generation, and it is called the death tax. Think about it. If you have somebody that thinks that they can justify when the Government comes in and taxes you, and by the way, this is money that you have already been taxed on for the most part, a government that comes in and taxes you on your death, if you have a friend or family that thinks they can justify it, sit down and visit with them. The next time you have coffee in the morning, the next time you get together with some friends, say hey, can anybody in this group justify or figure out why the Government wants to tax you on your death, why the Government wants to take the money that you spent your entire life working for and give it to Uncle Sam instead of allowing you to pass it on to your family, and by the way, keep it in your local community? Now, do not kid yourself, this applies to the average American. For example, a person who began faithfully contributing 10 percent of their salary to a 401(k) starting at age 25 and who earned $41,000 a year by age 50 can hardly be considered a Rockefeller. Nonetheless, if you do the math, this person could accumulate $900,000 in their pension fund by the age of 60, and by 63 they could have enough in their 401(k) to face a success tax, a death tax, on their distributions from that account. It is not fair. We in this country suffer not just from our family farms and our family ranches, but anybody who begins to accumulate any success at all as a result of their hard work in this country, will be taxed by this Government upon their death. It is not fair. I have a friend who built up a business, who sold his business last year. Unfortunately, he got hit with capital gains taxation, 29 percent. Then, unfortunately, he found out he had terminal cancer. Three months later he died. The effective rate on his estate is 73 percent, and this is income that was taxed before. What happens? This gentleman made a good living. He supported 75 percent of the operating costs of his local church. What happened this year to the local church? The family had to say, we have to send that money to the Capitol. That money goes to Uncle Sam under the death tax. We can no longer support the local church. We cannot pass our business, we have a fire sale of our business. We have to sell our father's home that we had hoped the other family, his sister in this case, could move into, because we cannot afford to pay this tax. We have to have cash for Uncle Sam, and that cash, that debt accumulates the second you die. It is patently unfair. In this country there is no other tax that I can think of that is more unjustified, more destructive of the American family than the death tax, and it is about time that Congress got together and stopped this unfair taxation. It is sucking the money out of the family, it is sucking the money out of the community, and it puts it into a bureaucracy that cannot spend it near as well. So I urge all of my colleagues to join myself and many others in signing on to the bill which will eliminate the death tax once and for all in this country and let one family pass their hard work on to the next generation and the next generation. Mr. Speaker, if we want to do something for our children, get rid of the death tax.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, Helen Bradbury Wright dedicated much of her 78 years to educating the Grand Valley's students. For 35 years Mrs. Wright schooled students in the three R's. Throughout her career she taught every grade, starting with eight students in a on-room shanty and finishing as the kindergarten teacher at Columbus Elementary School. Upon retiring, Mrs. Wright served on the District 51 School Board for 10 years. But becoming an educator had not always been Mrs. Wright's aspiration. While in grade school, she wanted to become a secretary. However here instructor said, ''No, Helen, you don't spell well enough to be a secretary. You are better suited to become a teacher.`` Mrs. Wright left her Kannah Creek home to live in Grand Junction and attend Grand Junction High School, Mrs. Wright graduated in 1934. That summer she earned tuition money as a housekeeper, errand girl, and yardkeeper for a family in town. In the fall of 1934, she enrolled in Grand Junction Junior College. While there, Mrs. Wright showed the tenacity necessary to achieve the title so many said suited her--teacher. She worked for her room and board, attended classes at GJJC and graded papers for her tuition money. The National Youth Administration paid her 35 cents an hour as a grader and for extra money, she babysat for 50 cents a night. Every penny Mrs. Wright earned went toward her education--nothing was more important to her. She enjoyed all aspects of school and was very active in the extracurricular activities. Each year the college produced a musical at the Avalon Theater. Mrs. Wright was a dancer in each production. Lessons and school work demanded the most of her time. She studied diligently and made `average grades''. ``I was not an `A' student or even a `B' student many times,'' Mrs. Wright recalls. ``We were graded on a curve and there were two students who were always so good that it pushed the average students into the `C' bracket.'' Dean Houston, her psychology professor, told the class that being average was OK in some professions. ``He informed us that average people made good teachers because they could relate better to the majority of students,'' she said. The second year of college proved to be one of her greatest challenges. She lost her job because the family needed a housekeeper fulltime. Then she waited tables at a cafe for a dollar a day plus tips, which back then were a nickel--if you were lucky. That December, Mrs. Wright got the mumps and missed a week of classes. After recovering from the mumps and working to make up the missed classes, Mrs. Wright caught scarlet fever. She missed a month of classes during the spring quarter--right before graduation. But with extra work and determination, Mrs. Wright graduated with her class in 1936. She applied for a 1-year teaching certificate and was offered a job teaching at Salt Creek. Before starting that job in September of 1936, Mrs. Wright taught summer school for 3 months in Moffat County. In 1937, she entered Colorado State College of Education in Greeley to finish her education degree. She took classes in the summer and taught during the winter months, finally graduating from the teachers college in 1954. After her first job at Timberlake School in Moffat County, she then taught at Salt Creek School near Collbran, Summit School in Unaweep Canyon, Pride School in Kannah Creek, Whitewater School, Purdy Mesa School, Rhone and Hunter schools near Fruita and finally 22 years at Columbus Elementary on Orchard Mesa. The last 9 years at Columbus, she taught kindergarten. At the country schools, Mrs. Wright instructed students of all ages and grades. She; her husband, Leslie Wright, who worked for the Rio Grande Railroad; and two children, Don and Rena, often lived in the teacherage next to the schoolhouse. After 35 years of teaching, Mr. Wright was not quite ready to give up working for education. She was elected to District 51 School Board. Serving for 10 years, teachers and students often saw Mrs. Wright sitting in the back of the classroom watching and listening. As an administrator, she did not want to lose touch with the students and teachers she represented. Mrs. Wright attended 71 graduations during her school board tenure. Three of those graduations were very special. She handed diplomas to her grandchildren, Lisa Wright, Justin Carver, and Kristi Wright, when they graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1988, 1989 and 1991, respectively. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the hard work and dedication that Mrs. Wright put into her career in education and to thank her for the example she provided to so many of Colorado's youth.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 128 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Hall], pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During the consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purposes of debate only. Mr. Speaker, this is a very simple resolution. The proposed rule is an open rule providing for 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Science. The resolution waives points of order against consideration of the bill for failure to comply with clause 2(L)(6) of rule XI. After general debate, the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 5- minute rule. Furthermore, it shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the 5-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science now printed in the bill. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 128 provides that the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered by title rather than by section. Moreover, the rule provides that the Chair may accord priority recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional Record. Mr. Speaker, at the conclusion of the consideration of the bill for amendment, the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, under the proposed rule, each Member has an opportunity to have their concerns addressed, debated, and ultimately voted up or down by this body. House Resolution 128 was reported out of the Committee on Rules by a voice vote. Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation, H.R. 1275, the Civilian Space Authorization Act for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 is a bipartisan compromise that keeps the Nation's civilian space program on course. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McINNIS

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to clarify the comments just made by the gentlewoman from the State of Ohio. Her remarks were that she would be and, for some reason, Members that favor her position were being muzzled on the House floor. It is unfortunate that she was not in here for the previous conversations that we have had, but to assist her knowledge, I would suggest that she study an open rule. This is an open rule. No one is being muzzled here. An open rule allows open debate. I notice that the gentlewoman on a number of occasions, at least two, during her comments used the word ``muzzled.'' I think it is that kind of rhetoric, frankly, that heats up the debate here unnecessarily. It is an open rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde], distinguished chairman.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Coble].

Mr. McINNIS. To my good friend from Massachusetts, I have a number of speakers who have just now signed up, so I assume that I will take the entire 30 minutes.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss]. (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Hunter].

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Forbes]. (Mr. FORBES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Goodlatte].

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Campbell]. (Mr. CAMPBELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 116 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], pending which I yield myself such time as I might consume. During the consideration of this resolution all time is yielded for the purpose of debate only. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 116 is a noncontroversial resolution. The proposed rule is an open rule providing for 1 hour of general debate divided equally between the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 5-minute rule. Furthermore, it shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the 5-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill modified as specified in section 2 of House Resolution 1616. The resolution waives all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as modified, and provides that it shall be considered as read. Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the resolution allows the Chair to accord priority recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional Record, and the Chair may postpone votes in the Committee of the Whole and reduce votes to 5 minutes if those votes follow a 15-minute rule. At the conclusion of the consideration of the bill for amendment, the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, this open rule was reported out of the Committee on Rules by a voice vote without any opposition. Under the proposed rule each Member has an opportunity to have their concerns addressed, debated and ultimately voted on, up or down, by this body. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Rohrabacher].