[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 31 (Friday, March 18, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                BALANCED BUDGET CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

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                               speech of

                          HON. JOLENE UNSOELD

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.J. Res. 103) 
     proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a 
     balanced budget for the U.S. Government and for greater 
     accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.

  Mrs. UNSOELD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to House Joint 
Resolution 103, a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. My 
opposition in no way means I am not concerned with our deficit problem.
  Our Nation's economy has been crippled by a decade where we doubled 
defense spending, tripled the Federal deficit and saw our national debt 
balloon toward $4 trillion. The deficit for fiscal year 1992 was a 
record $290.2 billion and although it was reduced to $254.9 billion in 
fiscal year 1993, it is still much too high. We are creating a shameful 
legacy of debt to pass along to our grandchildren.
  My ``no'' vote does mean that I do not see this amendment as the 
answer. It is infinitely easier to promise to make difficult and 
unpopular choices in 1999 or later than it is to sit down and make 
those choices today. Passing the balanced budget amendment would allow 
us to defer our Nation's tough budget questions. As Republican Senator 
Nancy Kassebaum said, it would ``let us proclaim victory, vent built-up 
public pressure and withdraw once again from the fight for a balanced 
budget.'' In a word, it is a cop-out.
  If eliminating the deficit were easy it would have been done long 
ago. Few Americans realize that half of all Federal spending is for 
entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and 
veterans benefits. Another 14 percent is payment on the national debt 
and another 21 percent on national defense. Eliminating the budget 
deficit can only be accomplished with some painful actions. It is one 
thing to grandstand on the amendment, it is another to take tough 
votes. I have voted to cut programs such as the space station and the 
superconducting super collider that may provide some jobs for certain 
States but in reality are multibillion dollar luxuries we just cannot 
afford.
  Some have argued that passing this amendment would force Congress to 
defy the pleas of constituents and to slash popular programs or 
increase taxes. I disagree. As long as we are not willing to make tough 
choices, there are ways to get around them. Outlays can be redefined, 
accounts can be taken off budget to make the numbers work on paper, and 
more and more unfunded mandates can be dumped on the States.
  Just as frightening, if these avoidance tactics fail--or if the 
economy takes a downturn--and Congress finds itself unable to achieve a 
balance on paper, the issue could be thrown to the Supreme Court. That 
raises the possibility of the unelected Court ordering tax increases 
and setting national appropriation priorities.
  President Clinton's budget plan, not this balanced budget amendment, 
is the tough and the smart way to address our deficit crisis. This plan 
requires difficult choices and far-sighted investment today--and it is 
beginning to show results. The deficit is down, interest rates remain 
low, inflation is low. Economic growth, consumer confidence and job 
growth are all up from a year ago. Fiscal year 1995 will be the first 
year since 1969 that discretionary spending in this country will 
actually fall.
  It is estimated that current deficit reduction efforts will result in 
a gradual decline of the deficit from its present level of 4.3 percent 
of gross domestic product [GDP] to 2.5 percent of GDP by 1998. At that 
level the national debt begins shrinking relative to the growth of the 
real economy. I believe the best budget decision we can make is to stay 
the course.

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