[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 43 (Tuesday, April 19, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, the gentleman from New Hampshire [Mr. Zeliff] is 
recognized during morning business for 3 minutes.
  Mr. ZELIFF. Madam Speaker, about 9 months ago we started a project 
here in the House to address the greatest challenge we all have, and 
that is to live within our means to turn over a stewardship to the 
future of our country, to our grandchildren and our children, and in 
early August we had 234 cosponsors of a letter to the Speaker asking 
for a time certain to address the challenge of living within our means, 
to cut spending.

                              {time}  1040

  After those 234 cosigners, during that following week we signed on 
and basically passed the deficit reduction bill that added a trillion 
dollars to our debt, the bill called the Clinton Economic Plan. We then 
dropped the bill, and we now have 227 cosponsors.
  We have 172 Republicans and we have 55 Democrats, for a total of 227 
cosponsors.
  It is a bipartisan spending mission. It is a mission because it is a 
major grassroots effort to address the No. 1 challenge in this House. 
It is kind of like a small town meeting in New Hampshire or a small 
business meeting where people sit around the table, look at their 
expenses and their problems, and cut back their expenses so they can 
live within their means. It is a very simple process.
  We think that we can cut $100 billion from this deficit. The key is 
that we are going to be doing it line by line, and we basically have a 
proposal on a particular program. There would be an open rule, a full 
debate, and an up-or-down vote. We think we can cut even more than $100 
billion.
  It is going to be the reversal of what Congress normally does. What 
they normally do well is spend a lot of money. What they do not do well 
is spend within their means, cut their spending, and get rid of 
inefficiency in Government. It is going to be kind of like turning the 
tables on the U.S. Congress from a grassroots effort. It is as simple 
as A to Z. It is going to break down the walls of this House.
  Low taxes come from low spending. That is the way we do it in New 
Hampshire.
  There are just a few other things to be aware of. On April 7, the 
Wall Street Journal came out in a lead editorial on the A-to-Z concept. 
George Will last Thursday came out with his editorial in the Washington 
Post, and since then we have had syndicated columns of George Will 
across the country.
  Many, many organizations have signed on. The National Chamber of 
Commerce signed on yesterday. United We Stand signed on yesterday, I 
believe. Other organizations supporting the plan are the American 
Conservative Union, the American Legislative Exchange Council, 
Americans for a Balanced Budget, the American Small Business 
Association, Americans for Tax Reform, Christian Coalition, Citizens 
Against Government Waste, Citizens for a Sound Economy, Free the Eagle, 
National American Wholesale Grocers Association, National Federal of 
Independent Business, National Taxpayers Union, Pennsylvania Leadership 
Council, Small Business Survival Committee, and the United Seniors 
Association.
  Again we are talking about this nationwide, and on Thursday, April 
28, we will initiate a discharge petition where we will hopefully get 
277 Members or more to sign on a discharge so we can get it out on the 
floor for a full debate.
  Madam Speaker, it is time to take the pork to the slaughterhouse, I 
say to my friends.

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