Masonry Magazine June 1997 Page. 39
WASHINGTON UPDATE
# Giving Hard Working Americans Tax Relief Still a Priority
Written by U.S. Representative Ann Northrup (R-3rd) for MCAA's Masonry Magazine
In the moments immediately following my official swearing into the 105th Congress, I was overwhelmed by the sense of history. Of course I had visited the Capitol building several times previous, had taken the tour and seen the floor of the House of Representatives. I had devoted countless hours to learning of the great men and women who served in Congresses past, and was convinced that I had a good perspective on the ramifications involved with being a Member of Congress. However, upon completion of the oath of office it became clear that no amount of preparation could ready one for such a moment.
In the four months since, I have steadily learned my way around the Capitol, and Washington itself. The pace is nothing short of frenetic, as I usually spend the day sprinting from meetings with constituents to voting on the floor to committee meetings to Republican conferences and back to my office for more constituent meetings. The old saying "there are never enough hours in the day" rings especially true.
Despite the hurried pace, I have found time to interact and become truly impressed with my colleagues. Having spent nine years in the Kentucky General Assembly, a body composed primarily of "citizen legislators," I am continually surprised at the depth and breadth of legislative knowledge my colleagues possess. Further, the fervor with which they pursue philosophical ideals is nothing short of inspiring.
However, I am of the firm belief that an inability to compromise within the Republican Party is a surefire way to lose our ability to pass meaningful legislation. While I appreciate members holding firm to their beliefs, I also understand that 227 individuals are never going to completely agree on anything. I also know that not a single piece of legislation brought before the House will look exactly the way I would like it to look. However, I believe that my role as a majority member of Congress is to influence and contribute to legislation as much as I can with the ever present reminder that every other Member is attempting to do the same. I, of course, am not suggesting that one go against individual or party principles (I would not vote against a balanced budget just to be co-operative) but I do advocate a willingness to be flexible.
I often tell people that growing up with nine sisters and one brother was great training for serving in Congress. None of us ever got to talk on the phone when we wanted to, none of us got to watch what we wanted on T.V. all the time, and none of us were in the spotlight for more than ten minutes at a time. However, as a group of eleven, we dictated what took place in the neighborhood. If we wanted to play cops and robbers, then all the neighborhood kids were playing cops and robbers. If we wanted the big oak tree to be second base in our kickball game then that's what happened. We accomplished much more acting as a majority then we ever would have individually.
My appreciation for serving in a majority is particularly enhanced by my tenure in the Kentucky State House, where Republicans were the decided minority. As a minority member, one has almost no say regarding which items of legislation are brought to a vote, or what happens to legislation in committee. Republicans must contemplate what will happen to tax cuts and government spending if they again become the minority.
Recently, certain Members of Congress began debating whether tax cuts should be included in the budget proposal. Unfortunately, the proceeding debate led to yet another round of political infighting. This is a prime example of an unwillingness to compromise resulting in a split amongst allies.
Personally, I am committed to reducing the size of government, cutting spending, working towards a balanced budget, and giving hard working Americans tax relief. The chance to articulate these issues was the primary reason I decided to run for Congress, and they became the cornerstone issues of my campaign. In a "perfect world" Congress might package all these elements in the budget bill. Unfortunately, a Presidential veto is a real obstacle. However, there are other ways to successfully pursue those ends, none of which would betray my core convictions. The idea to separate tax relief proposals and cutting spending through the budget process is particularly appealing, because it gives us a better chance to communicate the value of each of those initiatives.
The American people overwhelmingly support downsizing the federal government.