mr. speaker , i thank the gentleman for yielding me this time . 
and , yes , i say to the gentleman , they are from south carolina , and i see them every day . 
mr. speaker , i rise today against the pomeroy substitute and in full support of h.r. 8 , the death tax repeal permanency act of 2005 . 
the death tax defies common sense and is fundamentally unfair , mr. speaker . 
prior to 2001 , the top death tax rate was 55 percent . 
today , the top rate is 47 percent , and these are unbelievably high tax rates , especially when the tax is imposed after a lifetime of hard work . 
the death tax is also a job killer , mr. speaker . 
resources that could be used to expand businesses and hire new employees are instead used inefficiently to plan for the impact of the death tax . 
the joint economic committee noted that the death tax reduces the stock in the economy , listen to this now , approximately one-half of $ 1 trillion . 
mr. speaker , the permanent repeal of the death tax will not only ensure that small businesses and family farms are not subject to these unfair rates of taxation , but also simplify the tax law and facilitate long-term financial planning . 
the 2010 sunset date for the death tax repeal makes it nearly impossible for taxpayers to make long-term financial decisions as they relate to the tax . 
enactment of the death tax repeal permanency act promotes fairness and simplification by giving taxpayers the certainty they deserve . 
mr. speaker , i strongly support h.r. 8 , the death tax repeal permanency act of 2005 , and i urge my colleagues to vote `` no '' on the pomeroy substitute amendment . 
