Volume 143, No. 44 covering the 1st Session of the 105th Congress (1997 - 1998) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“STUDY ON TAX CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S3196 on April 15, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
STUDY ON TAX CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS
Mr. KENNEDY. As tax day is here, it is worth considering the contributions of legal immigrants to Uncle Sam.
A new study by the Library of Congress highlights the extraordinary level of Federal taxes paid by legal immigrants. Recent immigrants--
including both those who have not yet naturalized and those who have become citizens--paid an estimated $55 billion in Federal income taxes in 1995. Without immigration, the Government would have had $55 billion less to pay for key services or deficit reduction.
We have long known of the major contributions of immigrants in developing innovative technologies, creating jobs for American workers, vitalizing our inner cities, serving in our Armed Forces, and in many other ways. But this report also shows that immigrants pay their way in Federal taxes.
The $55 billion that recent immigrants contributed is almost three times what the Federal Government will spend this year on law enforcement to deal with crime. It is twice what the Federal Government will invest in education. It is nine times the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Often in recent years, Congress has been too quick to engage in immigrant-bashing, or too slow to recognize the immense contributions of immigrants to the Nation's heritage and history. Studies like this help to redress the balance, by demonstrating the continuing important role of immigration in our modern society.
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