Bill Shuster

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Gary Goss, owner of Structural Fiberglass in Bedford, PA, who has been named the 2007 Citizen of the Year by the Bedford Rotary Club. The Club annually recognizes a local individual who epitomizes the Rotary Motto of ``Service Above Self.'' Gary has been a dedicated leader in the Bedford community, giving his time to various community organizations. He has served as president of the Bedford Rotary Club and the Bedford County Development Association and currently chairs the local Adopt-a-Highway organization, as well as the Salvation Army Bell Ringing Project. Gary has served as an assistant Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years, in addition to contributing to many other community organizations, non- profits and his church. The Rotary International has previously recognized Gary as a Paul Harris Fellow. While I could go on listing the countless organizations to which Gary has given his time and energy, it is reasonable to say that his contributions to the Bedford community are endless. There is no doubt that Gary has touched the lives of thousands, surely impacting each one of them in a tremendous and beneficial way. Gary serves as a role model for many, and it is my hope that those that have the opportunity to meet and work with Gary will take away some of his enthusiasm for bettering the community and the lives of those around him. Gary's wife Peggy, to whom he has been married for 30 years, and his two children, Michael and Nicole, are certainly proud and honored by his remarkable work and devotion to improving the lives of others. The thousands of people who know Gary Goss--and who have benefited from his hard work and dedication--would join me in thanking Gary for his contributions to the Bedford community, as well as for serving as a great inspiration, demonstrating that selflessness and hard work go far in enhancing not only their own lives, but the lives of many.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, June 6, 2007, I could not be present for rollcall votes 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, and 439 because I was attending my daughter's high school graduation. Had I been present, I would have cast the following votes: ``No'' on rollcall 431, H. Res. 435--Providing for the consideration of H.R. 2446, Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act; ``Yes'' on rollcall 432, H.R. 1716--Green Energy Education Act; ``Yes'' on rollcall 433, H.R. 632--To authorize the Secretary of Energy to establish monetary prizes for achievements in overcoming scientific and technical barriers associated with hydrogen energy; ``No'' on rollcall 434, H.R. 964--Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act; ``Yes'' on rollcall 435, H.R. 2446--Kirk Amendment; ``No'' on rollcall 436, H.R. 2446--Kucinich Amendment; ``Yes'' on rollcall 437, H.R. 2446--Motion to Recommit with Instructions Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act; ``Yes'' on rollcall 438, H.R. 2446--Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act; ``No'' on rollcall 439, H.R. 2560--Human Cloning Prohibition Act.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jim Burger, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Helsel Lumber, who has been named the Small Business Association's Regional Exporter of the Year. Jim was presented with this award at the SBA's annual awards luncheon on May 25th in Pittsburgh, PA, and will also be recognized at the St. Francis University Small Business Development Center's annual luncheon on June 12th. The SBA Exporter of the Year is chosen from companies in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. This award recognizes exceptional business professionals whose business has seen an increase in sales and profits as well as growth in the number of employees as a result of exporting. Jim was nominated by the St. Francis University Small Business Development Center. Mr. Burger began his career with Helsel Lumber, an exporting company in Duncansville, PA, at the age of 16 as an after-school job, returning to the mill full time after graduating from Penn State University and working his way up to vice president and co-owner of the facility in 2001. As vice president, Jim has worked tirelessly to lead the business to become an active and successful exporting company. His efforts have paid off, as Helsel Lumber has grown to include export sales to Europe and Asia and has recently done significant work in China. Helsel Lumber received an Export Achievement Award from the U.S. Commercial Service in 2006. Jim has made a significant contribution not only to the betterment of Helsel Lumber, but to the region's economic growth and success as well. Our small business leaders are key to the continued economic vitality and success of our communities. The company and the community are lucky to have such a devoted leader, and the members of our community who have benefited from the efforts of Helsel Lumber and Jim Burger would certainly join me in thanking him for his contributions to the community and economy.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the memory and celebrate the life of Mayor John Redding, Jr., of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. John Redding passed away on Monday, May 21, from complications from heart surgery. It is with sadness, but with fond memories and the promise of his ascension to a better place that I honor John Redding's life and memory today. As a resident of Chambersburg for 51 years, Redding was the very definition of public service. For almost all his life, John was an active member of his community, serving on the Chambersburg Board of Directors, as chairman of the Letterkenny Industrial Development Authority, as a council representative, and later as mayor of Chambersburg Borough, his hometown and the community to which he dedicated his life. As a man of deep faith, brave courage and impassioned loyalty, Redding made his community a better place to work and live. The outpouring of support from his friends and neighbors upon his passing is a testament to the way he lived his life and a sign that the legacy he left on Chambersburg and the whole of Franklin County will not be forgotten. More than this, it is my privilege to have known John personally and to have called him my friend. He and my family worked closely over 30 years to make Franklin County a better place to live and work and his effort was not in vain. Franklin County continues to be a showcase for economic investment, growth and opportunity in central Pennsylvania. Its success bears the mark of John's tireless efforts. John was a pillar of dedication, commitment and leadership. He will be missed, but never forgotten.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Lady ``screaming eagles'' of Juniata College on winning the 2006 NCAA Division ill Woman's Volleyball Championship. In a thrilling win, the Eagles found themselves down two games to one to Washington University. Down, but not out the Lady Eagles came storming back with a brilliant offensive effort to capture the Title 3- 2. The Eagles found their momentum in the fourth game where the team went on a 4 to 1 run. After claiming the lead, the Eagles never looked back. At the end of the day, the Eagles walked away with 90 kills and a championship. Juniata College's Volleyball Team's championship is a great example of sportsmanship and achievement in college sports. Over 30 seasons, Juniata's volleyball program has built a 1,100 win and 172 loss record. The team's coach, Larry Bock, has the most wins of any coach in the history of NCAA women's volleyball. Also, during their championship season, senior player Stephanie Kines was named Division III Women's Volleyball Player of the Year. Stephanie is the second Juniata player to earn that honor. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate all of the players and coaches of the Juniata College Women's Volleyball Team: Erin Albert, Brittany Carr, Cassie Dickmann, Kristi Fitzsimmons, Jess Fox, Paige Johnston, Stephanie Kines, Beth Kozak, Megan Lamens, Mariel Little, Michelle Morchesky, Aly Pompeani, Jessica Ritchey, Rachael Schatz, Megan Sollenberger, Molly Sollenberger, and Amber Thomas Head Coach Larry Bock, and assistant Coaches Heather Pavlik, Casey Dale and Erin Dodson. To all of the Screaming Eagles, congratulation on most successful season and a well earned championship.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. It is confusing to me because you put the card in and you get money out.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman talking about this tonight. I think it is important that you point out that it is not the government that creates jobs, it is small businesses. We do want to hear your stories. We want to hear what you have been able to do with that tax cut that you received, either in your business or your family, and those stories, we would like you to e-mail them to us at Countdowncrew@mail.house.gov. If you don't want to send them to us, send them to your Member of Congress. Let your Member of Congress know how important it is that this Congress acts to extend those tax cuts before they expire. They are going to expire anywhere from the end of this year in 2007 to the end of 2010, and if we don't act, run out the clock, we are going to see this huge tax increase and you are not going to have that money in your pocket. It is going to be spent to Washington and the bureaucrats and politicians are going to spend it. It is a great privilege to have with us here tonight a colleague of ours from Texas, who more importantly than that is a CPA. He understands the Tax Code better than most of us, although I don't know that anybody understands the Tax Code, as large and complex as it is. But we appreciate his coming down and being able to walk us through some of what is happening in the Tax Code and the burdens it is placing on businesses and families. With that, I yield to a good friend from Texas, Mr. Conaway.

Mr. SHUSTER. Six. I would like to yield to the gentleman.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, coming to the House floor as I have for the past 4 months to talk about the great concern that I have and to draw attention to what is going to happen in the United States Congress if the new Democratic majority does not act, in just 1,335 days, the American people are going to see the largest tax increase in American history. I also believe, although I haven't been able to verify this, it is probably the largest tax increase in the history of the world. And the Democratic majority doesn't have to even vote on it, all they have to do is run out the clock and allow the tax reductions, the tax cuts that occurred in 2001 and 2003 to expire. And only in Washington, and I have heard this said, that the majority party is not going to raise taxes because they won't vote on raising taxes, but because they are going to expire and people's taxes are going to go up, that is not really a tax increase. Well, if you are sitting out there in middle America and you are making $40,000 a year and you have two children, your taxes will go up approximately $2,000. That is a tax increase. Everybody in America knows that. And everybody that knows how to add and subtract knows that if your taxes go up $2,000 or if anything goes up $2,000, that is an increase. And as I said, the majority, the Democratic majority will not have to vote on it, they can just, as I have said, run out the clock. In 2001 and 2003 and every year in the Republican majority, we cut taxes; we cut some tax over the 12 years in majority. And the new Democratic majority, it took them about a week, maybe less than 10 days to have their first tax increase. They passed it back in January. And fortunately it hasn't become law because they haven't been able to pass anything of substance that passed the House and the Senate and gone to the President. So, as I said, we haven't seen that first tax increase, although the Democratic majority did in fact vote on a tax increase and it passed here in the House. I hope my friends on the other side will take a lesson from history and look back to the 1960s to President John F. Kennedy and what he did in his term as President. One of the first things he did was to cut taxes. And what happened in the 1960s? The economy grew, revenues to the Federal Government grew because of those tax cuts. And then look back just into the 1980s when President Ronald Reagan came to Washington, and with the help of a Democratic majority, he cut taxes. And what happened? The economy grew, the revenues to the Federal Government grew, and that was a positive thing. The same thing occurred in 2001 and 2003 and continues. We cut taxes, allowing the American people to keep more of their hard-earned dollars, and the economy is growing. Revenues to the Federal Government are at record levels coming into the Federal Government. And the facts are there. Since 2003, 7.5 million jobs have been created. That is more jobs that the European Union and Japan combined have created. Our economy has now added jobs for 43 straight months. Just last month, in April, 88,000 new jobs were created in the United States. Folks that had been unemployed or happen to find themselves unemployed are finding much shorter duration of unemployment than they had in the past. The national unemployment rate remains at 4.5 percent, which is well below the 5.1 percent rate which was in 2005, and below the average of each of the past four decades. The U.S. has grown faster than any G-7 industrialized nation over the past 4 quarters. Wages have increased, and tax relief has helped spur economic growth by keeping over $1.1 trillion in the pockets of Americans. As I said, if the Democratic majority doesn't act by January 1, 2011, all those tax cuts, tax reductions we put in place for small businesses, for families, for individuals, will expire. In my State of Pennsylvania alone, the average worker, the average taxpayer, will see about a $3,000 increase in his taxes. My good friend from Florida, Ric Keller, informs me that the average taxpayer in Florida will see an increase of $3,000, if we don't act and extend those tax cuts. Once again, that is what we are going to do tonight, is talk about this countdown. We call ourselves the Countdown Crew, because in 1,335 days, if the Democratic majority doesn't act, the average American and average small business in this country, the individual in this country is going to see their taxes increase. That money will come out of their pockets, will come to Washington, and they will not have an opportunity to spend it as they see fit. They won't have an opportunity to save it for their retirement, or their children's college education or future education. So it is important that we draw attention to what is going to happen here in Congress. The Democrats won a majority in the election and they said first of all that they were going to have ``6 for 06.'' They have passed all six of those in the House, but nothing of what they passed, none of those six have made it into law. As I said earlier, very few things we have passed here on the floor have made it into law. We have named a couple of post offices and Federal buildings, but nothing substantial has been able to pass this Congress and become law. As I said, I think it is extremely important that the American people are aware that just by running out the clock, the taxes for every American, every small business, every business in America, will go up, without action in this House. With that, I am joined here tonight by my good friend from Kentucky, a former business owner and a father of several children, I can't keep count, five or six.

Mr. SHUSTER. I have the time estimate, if you are filling out your own taxes it's anywhere from 8 hours to 27 hours, if you did it yourself, which is a considerable amount of time for an individual.

Mr. SHUSTER. Right, $265 billion. In closing, I just wanted to point out, as the gentleman mentioned, the importance of keeping your own money, being able to invest it, being able to save it. I think a lot of times Americans feel helpless, hopeless over this tax situation. You get that paycheck, and as my 18-year-old daughter just got a paycheck, came home, showed it to me and said, why did they take so much out? I said, well the good news for you is they are going to give you most of most of it back, because you're not going to make the minimum. But as I said, Americans feel helpless or hopeless in a tax situation, but they're not. Americans really have to pay attention to what's going on here in Washington. As we said tonight send us your stories at CountdownCrew@mail.house.gov or send them to your Member of Congress and tell them what you have been able to accomplish with those dollars that you get to keep in your pocket because they are not coming to Washington. Make sure you are talking to your Member of Congress, communicating with him, telling them that you don't want to see taxes go up. You don't want to see the largest tax increase in American history. You want them to keep their tax rates low. Although many Americans are looking at those tax rates today, think they are high, they are lower than they were 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 years ago. This Congress has to act. This Congress has to act before all those tax cuts expire by December 31, 2010, and the gentleman is signaling me. We want to make sure that the American people are communicating to their Members of Congress that they want us to stop this tax increase that's going to occur, a tax increase that the Democratic majority is saying, they are not going to increase taxes because they are not going to vote on it, which is just hogwash. The taxes are going to go up for individuals across this country, businesses across this country, if this Congress fails to act in just 1,335 days.

Mr. SHUSTER. I am getting ready to close. The gentleman from Texas seemed pretty worked up about getting something out. Do you have something else you want to get out here?

Mr. SHUSTER. I do not know if I can take it. You have just made the case on why we need to scrap this tax code and start with something new. I do not know.

Mr. SHUSTER. They claiming a circulation off of my brain.

Mr. SHUSTER. If I can interrupt the gentleman for a minute, if I am going to my CPA or the person who does my taxes, because she has to calculate two different sets, it costs more money to calculate your taxes.

Mr. SHUSTER. I think it is extremely important to point out that only in Washington, D.C. and the accounting we use here, and I know that the Democratic majority when they were the minority would say that we were cutting spending on programs when we were in the majority when actually it would go up by 2 or 3 percent instead of the 4 or 5 percent that they wanted it to, and they would say that is a cut when it is not a cut. Now, they are saying that it is not going to be a tax increase because we did not vote on it, but all of us know that those of us balancing checkbooks at home and people who run small businesses, people that are trying to save money, know if the Federal Government takes an average $2,000 more out of your paycheck a year, that is a tax increase. As I pointed out earlier, in my State of Pennsylvania, the average taxpayer will pay $3,000 more in taxes, and that is a tax increase. Whether the United States Congress votes on it or does not vote on it, if you pay $3,000 more in taxes, that is a tax increase. This PAYGO rule, which I always thought PAYGO meant that if you are going to increase spending, you have got to find a way to fund it, and that is increase taxes or offset it by cutting spending elsewhere. Quite frankly, I do not know what PAYGO means under the Democratic majority anymore because they find loopholes and exceptions and make changes to it. So, once again, this funny accounting in Washington, DC continues to proliferate under the Democratic majority. I think it is important that, as my friend from Kentucky talked about his experiences with small business, that we get Americans to e-mail us at the countdowncrew@mail.house.gov. E-mail us what you have been able to do over the past couple of years with those tax cuts, whether you are putting it back in your business and increasing your workforce or making it more efficient, selling more products by expanding markets; or if you have a family and you are able to save $2,000 or $3,000 because of the elimination of the marriage penalty or the doubling of the child tax credit, how were you able to take those dollars and employ them in your household and your business to make your lives better. I think that is extremely important that we hear those kinds of stories. Once again, I want to point out if you are unable to or do not want to e-mail them to the countdowncrew@mail.house.gov, send them to your Member of Congress; let them know what you were able to do with those funds. Again, I know all across America we hear those stories. My good friend from Florida and I were talking, Ric Keller, and talked about what the seniors in Florida, how they have been able to improve their housing, invest that money in a nicer house, a bigger house, a different house because of those tax cuts. So I know that, once again, we are joined by our colleague, the CPA, from Texas, and it is always educational to hear him talk about some of these tax issues. I think he wants to talk a little about the ATM. I went to my accountant a month or so ago. He was talking to me about how it is catching people in this web. He said in Pennsylvania, a household where there is two teachers, they are now approaching and some of them have surpassed that level where two teachers, modest income, are getting caught up in the ATM, paying more taxes. So, with that, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).

Mr. SHUSTER. I apologize. Like I said, it is confusing to me because they just keep on take, take, take just like the cash machine at the banks.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, our enemies are listening, and they are planning on our actions today, just like the North Vietnamese did decades ago. And don't believe me, but listen to the words of Colonel Bui Tin, who served on the general's staff of the North Vietnamese Army and received the unconditional surrender of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in 1995, he drew some important parallels to the debate today. When asked how the North Vietnamese intended to defeat America, Colonel Tin responded, ``by fighting a long war which would break their will to help South Vietnam.'' He went on to quote Ho Chi Minh, who said, ``We don't need to win military victories, we only need to hit them until they give up and get out.'' Colonel Tin said the American antiwar movement was essential to their strategy. He said it represented the conscience of America and the conscience of America was part of its war-making capability, and we were turning that power in our favor. Through protests, America lost its ability to mobilize a will to win. That is what this supplemental does here today. Let's listen to the past and not repeat its mistakes. Let's pass a clean bill and give our soldiers what they need to win.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. That ATM which I mentioned earlier and this conversation I have had over the past couple of weeks with my accountant, he is seeing married couples, both husband and wife are teachers, and they are real close to getting caught up in that minimum tax. Again, two teachers making a decent living, and they are getting caught up in a tax code that is increasing their taxes. We need to address that. As I said, talking to my accountant last week, as millions of Americans had, to fill out the paperwork and write checks to pay their taxes, it is a yearly ritual that is unavoidable. The government has made this an incredibly complicated process to go through. Not only does it seem we are ignoring the need to extend these tax cuts so Americans pay less, but we are ignoring the fact we need to reform our Tax Code to make it simpler. I recently read an article by John Stossel from ABC, and he wrote in 2005 Americans spent 6.4 billion hours complying with the Federal Tax Code. He further stated that a Washington-based group, The Tax Foundation, calculated that that 6.4 billion hours was valued at $265 billion, was what Americans spent on complying with the Tax Code. That is more than the Federal deficit last year. If we could cut that in half, imagine $130 billion going into the economy, our small businesses being able to buy more equipment, employ more people, build a new building, expand their operations; the American family, having $130 billion to buy a new washer and dryer, save for college. What will it do for this economy? We have to make sure we pay attention to that. As we were talking earlier tonight, the Democrat budget put out last week, in Pennsylvania alone it is going to increase taxes by 2009 on the average Pennsylvanian by over $3,000. We hope that people will e- mail us at countdowncrew@mail.house.gov and let us know what $3,000 would mean to your family, how important that would be, that you would have that $3,000 to spend, instead of sending it to Washington. As we keep pointing out, by 2011, if we don't act, the Democrat majority is going to increase taxes by almost $400 billion. It will be the largest tax increase in American history. I haven't been able to document this, but I think it is probably the largest tax increase in the history of the world. The American people need to understand that. That is the sad reality. We are taxing too much. We have got to make sure that we in Washington are making this government work efficiently and not wasting their money, but making sure that they continue to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. Next Monday night is going to be Tax Freedom Day, April 30 this year. That means Americans will, after April 30th, starting May 1, will be able to start working for themselves. The first 4 months of the year they have been working to pay their taxes, and on May first they work for themselves.

Mr. SHUSTER. Can you explain that PAYGO so people understand it better, what PAYGO really means, what it should mean.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am coming to the floor this evening, as I have been for the past couple of months, to make sure that the American people realize what is going to happen in the next couple of years if we, in Congress don't act, if the Democratic majority doesn't act. In 1,349 days, if we don't act, we are going to see the largest tax increase in American history. And this is coming about because the tax cuts, the tax reductions that we put in place as a Republican majority in 2001, 2003, extended some of those in 2005, they are going to expire. And the majority party doesn't have to act. All they have to do is run the clock out, and those tax increases will go into effect on the American people. The American family, small businesses, all around this country are going to feel the pain. As I said, my friends and I have been, colleagues and I have been coming to the floor for the past few months talking about this, making sure that the American people are aware that this is going to occur. And I have heard some folks on the other side of the aisle say that they are not going to vote for a tax increase, thus it is not really a tax increase. Only in Washington do we employ that type of rationale, that type of logic. If we don't act, there is going to be a tax increase. And for the American people, who have just paid their taxes this year, and when they go to pay their taxes in 2008 and 2009 and 2010, they are going to see that their taxes have increased. Although there wasn't necessarily a vote on the House floor to specifically increase those taxes, those tax cuts expiring are, in effect, and, in fact, going to increase their taxes. What kind of tax increase are we talking about? First of all, raising, from the 10 percent tax bracket to 15 percent. And more than 5 million individuals and families previously who owed no taxes will become subject to those individual income taxes in 2011, if we don't act on the House floor. If the Democratic majority doesn't act, the Democratic majority will be responsible for raising taxes on people in the lower-income levels in this country. It will eliminate the marriage penalty relief that we put in place in the early 2000s. By 2011, 23 million taxpayers would see their taxes increase an average of $466 just because they are married. Cutting the child tax credit in half: if we don't extend those, if we don't vote on this House floor before 2011, 31 million taxpayers will see their taxes increase an average of $859 in 2011. The AMT tax, if we don't act, if we don't do something that rectifies that situation, we are going to see people across America that have, husband and wife that earn an income, two families, for instance, teachers, we are going to see a husband and wife that are both teachers in the coming years, if they already haven't been affected by it, they are going to be hit with the AMT and pay higher taxes if we don't act. An elderly couple, for instance, in America, a senior couple making $40,000 in income, this couple will, their tax bill would raise in 2011, from $583 to $1,489. And for a retired couple making $40,000, that almost $1,000 increase is a huge burden on them. We have got to make sure that that doesn't happen. A family of four with an income of $60,000: that family's income tax bill would raise, from $3,030 to $4,898, almost $5,000 in 2011 if we don't act. And I know that families in my district, that is a typical family, a family of four, $60,000 of income, two people working. That is a huge burden. And for people across America, we have been calling ourselves the Countdown Crew, and we have an e-mail that we would like you to share your stories with us on what the tax cuts have done for you, and what, for instance, a family, again, of four, $60,000 if you have to pay about $1,800, almost $1,900 more in income, $2,000 more in taxes, how is that going to affect your family. So we would like for you to share those stories with us. You can e-mail us at the countdowncrew@mail.house.gov. I will get that up here in just a minute and you can see it. But, again, that is countdowncrew@mail.house.gov. And share those stories with us because we want to hear, we want to be able to have those stories to talk about how it is going to affect, as I said, a typical American household. A single parent with two children, a woman who has got two children, $30,000 in earnings, she would, that parent qualifies at present to get about $2,400 back from the Federal Government. But if the tax cuts are allowed to expire, she is going to have to pay an $800 tax. That is a $3,200 swing from receiving $2,400 from the Federal Government to having to pay almost $800 in taxes. Families, individuals are going to be hardest hit, small businesses, unless we act. Just to give you a brief rundown of the numbers on what is going to happen if the Democratic majority doesn't act and increases taxes, 115 million, taxpayers would see their taxes increase an average of $1,795 in 2011. Eighty-three million women would see their taxes raise an average of $2,068 if the Democratic majority doesn't act. Forty-eight million married couples will incur an average tax increase of almost $2,900. Taxes would increase an average of $2,181 for 42 million families with children. Twelve million single women with children would see their taxes increase an average of just over $1,000. Seventeen million elderly individuals would incur average tax increases of $2,270. And it goes on and on and on. As I said, only in Washington, only in our Nation's Capital is the logic employed that says, if we don't vote on a tax increase, it is not really a tax increase. But I know and millions of Americans know that if they paid $5,000 in taxes one year and they pay $6,000 in another year, then that is an increase in taxes. So we need to make sure that we are honest and open with the American people and realize what these tax cuts have done. This economy, which is growing, has grown each year for 21 straight quarters, I believe the last number was. We are creating jobs. We have created, in the last 4 years, 7.5 million jobs. Unemployment is at a 4.4 percent unemployment rate. I have a county in my district that has a 2.8 percent unemployment rate. That is incredible, 2.8 percent. I was under the belief that full employment is when you have 97 percent of the people working, or close to 97 percent of the people, because you are always going to have folks transitioning and moving around; but I have got actually two counties that are under 3 percent. And as I said, this economy is growing because of those tax cuts. It comes as no surprise to me, it should come as no surprise to millions of Americans, it should come as no surprise to my friends on the other side of the aisle, that when you cut taxes, the economy grows. When you cut taxes, also the revenues to the Federal Government increase. And my friends on the other side of the aisle don't have to take my word for it. Go back to the 1960s when President John F. Kennedy cut taxes on the American people. And what happened? The economy grew and revenues grew coming into the Federal Government. In the 1980s Ronald Reagan cut taxes on the American people and American businesses and the economy grew and revenues grew coming into the Federal Government. And in 2000, once again history repeats itself. When you cut taxes, as we did, the Republican majority did, when you cut taxes, the economy grows, jobs are created, and we have seen record revenues coming into the Federal Government. In 2005 the revenues to the Federal Government grew by 14.5 percent, and last year, in 2006, they were over 11 percent growth in revenues to the Federal Government. We have got to make sure that the American people are keeping more of their hard-earned dollars, not sending them to Washington, but that we are sending them back home. But in Washington we have to make sure that we are spending responsibly, and we are trying to balance the budget and we are working towards that and working in such a way that the budget is going to be balanced, and we have been working towards that in the last 4 or 5 years. And I know that the Democratic majority, they talk about fiscal responsibility, but one of the first things they did was to change the rules of the House so that there was no longer a three-fifths majority needed to increase taxes. It is now a simple majority, and they can increase your taxes. They have come out with a budget just last week, or 2 weeks ago, I guess, we passed a budget, and they make it seem like it is responsible, but a lot of things in that budget just don't add up. The PAYGO rule is something that, quite frankly, is difficult to understand. And I am privileged to have a colleague of mine on the House floor, a colleague of mine from Texas (Mr. Conaway), who is, first of all, on the Budget Committee, so he understands the complicated budgetary process that we face here in the Federal Government. But, more importantly, he is a CPA. He is a certified public accountant. So he understands the balance sheet, he understands the income statement, he understands not only that of a business, the government, but of the average American family and what it takes to balance a budget at home, in a business, and here in the Federal Government. So with that, I would like to yield to my good friend from Texas to talk a little bit about the PAYGO rules and the budget and explain to the American people what is going to happen here in the next couple of months, weeks, and years in the United States. With that I yield to Mr. Conaway.

Mr. SHUSTER. I appreciate the gentleman for pointing that out. As I said, next Monday night, April 30, Tax Freedom Day, Americans will begin to start working for themselves. In 2003, Tax Freedom Day was April 18. We have slowly grown to April 30. It will be even longer than that if this Congress doesn't act. The percentage the Federal Government is going to take from people will grow. People will earn less. As I said earlier, the average Pennsylvanian, and there are 4.7 million Pennsylvanians that will pay taxes, on average that tax will go up by $3,000. So we hope the American people communicate with us at countdowncrew @mail.house.gov and let us know what they could do with that $3,000, as well as over the past 4 or 5 years what it has meant to them, whether it is their family, whether it is a small business, how they have been able to utilize those tax cuts in expanding their business and saving for their children's future. These are extremely important matters that this Congress has to address. As we started off saying, in 1,349 days, if we don't act, if the U.S. Congress doesn't act, there is going to be the largest tax increase in American history. So I appreciate the gentleman from Texas. I don't know if you have anything else to add. If not, I will yield back the time. I know some of our other colleagues have come to the floor here to talk about important things. But we want to make sure the American people know what is going to happen if the flawed logic is employed that if we don't vote on a tax increase, it is not really a tax increase, when in fact if people pay more money, that is a tax increase. The American people need to know that. I appreciate my colleague coming down to the floor tonight.

Mr. SHUSTER. I thank the gentleman. I appreciate you coming down and talking about the budget because I know you understand it; but as I said earlier, more importantly as a CPA, you really understand what the Tax Code means to individual businesses and families. In fact, just last week I had a conversation, I would say it was an unfortunate conversation with my CPA as we went through my tax returns and had to pay taxes, as millions and millions of people across this country had to do. I know the gentleman said he had one more point to make.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the Bishop Guilfoyle High School girls basketball team from Altoona, Pennsylvania, for their record-breaking season which ended with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class A State Championship. The Lady Marauders, who finished this season with an impressive 31-1 record, went 14-0 in league play and defeated Pittsburgh's North Catholic High School 43-38 for the 2007 championship title on March 24. The season high of 31 wins set a school record and accompanied their first State title in 14 years. Coached by Coach Mark Moschella, the team is graduating six seniors, led by senior forward Mary Forr, a 1,000-point scorer. Also playing their last game were Courtney Carroll, Heather Craig, Ashley Helsel, Rachel Sullivan, and Dani Williams. And special note, Alli Williams, a freshman on the Lady Marauders, scored 13 points and finished with 10 rebounds in the championship game. I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of these young women from Bishop Guilfoyle and congratulate the team, the coaching staff, and their fans on a story-book year and a deserved championship. I rise today to honor and celebrate the Bishop Guilfoyle High School Girls basketball team for their record-breaking season which ended with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class A State Championship title. The Lady Marauders, who finished their season with an impressive 31-1 record, defeated Pittsburgh North Catholic 43-38 for the 2007 championship title on March 24, 2007. Their season high of 31 wins set a school record to accompany their first state title in 14 years. Coached by Mark Moschella, the team is graduating 6 seniors, led by senior forward Mary Forr, a 1,000 point scorer. Also playing their last game in the purple and gold were Courtney Carroll, Heather Craig, Ashley Helsel, Rachel Sullivan and Dani Williams, who finished the championship game with 11 rebounds. Rounding out the championship team were; Danielle Filer, Teresa Mull, Ashley Fulare, Nicole Ciambotti, Christine Conrad, Shannon Hite, Tiffany Seasoltz, Chelsey Neugebauer, Kaylee Keagy, Brooke Stayer, Rachel Rea, Erin Brennen and freshman sensation Alli Williams, who shared the winning season on the court with her sister Dani. Alli, the only freshman on the squad, led the Lady Marauders with 13 points and finished the championship game with 10 rebounds. The Mountain Athletic Conference Champion Lady Marauders finished undefeated in league play with a record of 14-0. During the regular season they defeated District VI champions Altoona (AAAA) and Lewistown (AAA) and District VI runner-up Bishop McCort (AA). Their only loss was to Delone Catholic in December; however, since that game, they won 23 straight including the District VI Championship and the PIAA Class A State Title. The Lady Marauders proved their dominance on their way to the championship, defeating Rockwood in the first round of the PIAA playoffs 58-20; beating Lancaster Country Day 66-16 in the second round; following with a 57-46 win over Nativity BVM in the State Quarter-Final match-up; a 46-34 Semi-Final victory over Bishop O'Reilly and culminating with the State Championship win against North Catholic 43-38. The team, known for its prolific defense and extraordinary teamwork, will cherish these accomplishments long after they have graduated from Bishop Guilfoyle. I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of these young women from Bishop Guilfoyle and congratulate the team, the coaching staff and their fans on a storybook year and a deserved championship.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. I appreciate the gentleman yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise with great concern and in opposition to H.R. 1401. I think there are many provisions in this bill that are positive, that will enhance security, but I am concerned about the strategy as we move forward. Do we have one to move forward, spending billions of dollars? In addition, there are a couple of provisions in this bill, section 124, which would require carriers to ship along the most secure routes. That sounds good, but when you put in there shipping along these routes without concern for safety, you may decide that when you look at what may be to some secure, you have serious safety considerations, whether the track is safe or what the weather is going to be like, and what is the first responder capabilities? Those are things that we have to consider when we are deciding on which route to take different shipments. Also, the background checks. Section 120, I believe, weakens the background checks and it appears to me may pressure private industry to hire people, hire felons that we don't want working on the rail system that could further jeopardize our security. The whistleblower protection. I believe it already affords adequate whistleblower protection for our workers. Keeping it under its current law under the Federal Rail Administration I believe is much better than moving it over to the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor hasn't had the experience in working with rail and rail labor, where the FRA has great experience. So I think we need to leave it there instead of moving it to an agency that, as I said, has no experience. Most importantly, I rise today to oppose the manager's amendment. For decades, the Federal policy has given the U.S. Department of Transportation preeminent jurisdiction over rail safety under the Federal Railroad Safety Act. Section 3 of the manager's amendment would destroy that Federal preemption. Under current law, States may enact safety laws as long as they address unique local safety hazards. As I said, section 3 of the manager's amendment will change all of that. This would balkanize our rail system and subject railroads to a hodgepodge of State and local regulations. Railroads could face different rules every time they crossed a State or county or municipal border. Imagine, 50 States, 50 different jurisdictions, or more, when you talk about the different counties in America. And they could regulate on braking systems, the number of people on the trains, and the types of trains that we use or the tracks we use. In fact, in California there are proposals out there that they want to change the track standards, they want to change the types of locomotives. This is going to destroy the efficiency of the national rail system that we have created, a successful one over 20 or so years. And I repeat, this is not a security issue. It does not belong in this bill. And I hope the chairman of the full committee joins me in opposing this manager's amendment because rail safety belongs in a rail safety bill, which the subcommittee is going to take up. So I urge my colleagues to oppose the manager's amendment.