(WASHINGTON, DC) -- Congressman Dennis Moore (Third District – Kansas) traveled to Kansas City with Vice President Dick Cheney today to take part in an event celebrating the mailing of tax rebate checks to American taxpayers.

"I voted for tax cuts last year and again this year. These rebate checks will provide an important stimulus for our struggling economy. They are a down payment on the tax relief that millions of Americans will receive during the coming years," said Moore.

Moore and Cheney toured a Kansas City Treasury Department facility where many of the checks are being printed. Other members of the delegation included Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas.

"While I have concerns about portions of this bill, I believe a substantial portion of the federal budget surplus should be returned to the taxpayers. I have been personally assured by President Bush that the projected surplus will materialize and that the tax cut will not jeopardize our ability to provide for our national priorities," said Moore.

In related news, yesterday Moore and fellow members of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition announced that they would vote against spending that exceeds the limits set by the recently passed federal budget. This action is intended to prevent Congress from raiding the Social Security or Medicare trust funds in order to pay for more spending.

"We can provide tax relief, protect Social Security and Medicare, and meet our national priorities, but only if we remain fiscally responsible and hold the line on spending," said Moore.

As part of the tax relief Moore supported, eleven million rebate checks per week will be mailed out, starting today and continuing through the end of September. Kansans will receive 877,000 checks totaling $385 million. Nationwide, almost 92 million people will receive a rebate check. The table on the this page lists when taxpayers can expect to receive their checks.