[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 22 (Thursday, March 3, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 3, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT

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                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 3, 1994

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I commend to my colleagues an editorial 
which appeared in the Norfolk Daily News on February 22, 1994. This 
editorial echoes the sentiments of this Member and many Americans 
across the country that a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution 
is necessary in order to avoid deficit spending. We cannot responsibly 
leave this legacy of debt for future generations.

                           No Other Recourse

       Scare tactics are being used to oppose a constitutional 
     amendment requiring a balanced federal budget. Invoking such 
     a mandate would boost individual taxes by ``hundreds of 
     dollars and force deep slashes in Social Security and other 
     popular programs,'' it is alleged.
       The ``deep slashes'' said to be required, however, would 
     amount to no more than keeping the regular, automatic 
     increases in Social Security and other entitlement benefits 
     at a percentage rate slightly less than the cost of living. 
     And the ``hundreds of dollars'' in tax increases would not be 
     necessary at all were all federal spending programs similarly 
     restricted in their growth.
       Granting that tax increases might be necessary, however, so 
     many people are concerned about thousands, rather than 
     hundreds of dollars, that most would find that an acceptable 
     price to pay for avoiding further indebtedness to be paid by 
     future generations.
       A constitutional requirement for presenting balanced 
     budgets, and even more importantly, achieving them, should 
     not be necessary.
       But the experience of a half-century and the massive 
     buildup of debt in the last decade, despite good intentions 
     on the part of many on Capitol Hill and in the executive 
     departments, proves there is no other recourse.

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