[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          PASS A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

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                        HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 9, 1994

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, opponents of the balanced budget amendment 
cannot seem to get their arguments straight. They say the amendment is 
not needed because the Government is already capable of balancing the 
budget, but seem unmoved by the fact that we have not had a balanced 
budget since 1969. They say the amendment would tie the Government's 
hands in times of recession, but conveniently forget the fact that we 
have run deficits each year since 1969 regardless of whether the 
economy is up or down. Finally, Mr. Speaker, they call the amendment a 
meaningless gimmick which Congress will circumvent, but predict chaos 
and calamity if it passes and becomes law.
  Mr. Speaker, the fact that these opponents cannot argue consistently 
says volumes about the strength of their position. On the other hand, 
we should not delude ourselves. The balanced budget amendment will not 
solve the deficit problem if Congress truly wants to circumvent it. 
Congress' record with the Gramm-Rudman law puts this possibility into 
sharp focus.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, while I support the balanced budget amendment 
because its passage would hold Congress' feet to the deficit reduction 
fire, in the end our strong commitment to the amendment's principles 
coupled with the courage to follow those principles in the face of 
contrary pressures are to the only real answers to our fiscal problems. 
I strongly urge my colleages to support passage of the balanced budget 
amendment.

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