TELEPHONE EXCISE TAX REPEAL ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 06, 2000)

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SPEECH OF HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, May 25, 2000

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, as one of two Members of Congress to oppose H.R. 3916, the telephone excise tax bill, I believe there is a need to explain the reasons for my vote. I opposed H.R. 3916 because this is just another fiscally irresponsible way for the Republicans to reduce federal revenues for the vital programs that the working families of this country rely on. The leadership of the 106th Congress doesn't care if it squanders $20 billion in tax revenues by repealing the telephone excise tax because it doesn't care if we have enough money to save Social Security and Medicare for future generations. But I do care and did not vote to repeal the excise tax.

I never heard from one constituent asking me to repeal the federal excise tax on their phone service because it was a hardship. I did, however, hear from Bell Atlantic who will soon raise its phone rates and from big companies asking me to lower their phone bill. This bill will save the average family $34 per year--no wonder there wasn't a clamor from constituents demanding the repeal. I do hear from working families who want a better education for their children, and from seniors who want a Medicare prescription drug benefit. I also hear from families who don't have any health insurance for their children or who want a cleaner environment.
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EPA estimates it will cost billions of dollars over the next twenty years for municipal wastewater treatment programs. This funding assists local governments in the construction of projects to manage municipal wastewater. Untreated wastewater ends up in public drinking supplies, lakes and rivers. This untreated water is a major source of pollution for lakes and rivers and we need to address this problem now.

Eleven million children are without health insurance. Children are the least expensive segment of our population to insure. Even though we all recognize this fact, Congress insists on giving another freebie to corporate America when we should be enacting my MediKids Health Insurance Act.

The GOP does not have the interest of working families in mind with their legislative agenda. I refuse to contribute to their continual cause of promoting corporate interests. The U.S. taxpayers have told us their priorities, and eliminating the telephone excise tax was not one of them. We need these revenues for America's priorities. This bill recklessly cuts $20 billion in taxes that could be used for meaningful legislation; therefore I oppose H.R. 3916.
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