[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 91 (Thursday, July 14, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1040
 
                        CONGRESS LOVES TO SPEND

  (Mr. LEWIS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, Members and colleagues, I had 
not planned to address the House today, but I stood here in fascination 
watching Democrat after Democrat come to the well displaying charts 
that suggest the lowest spending pattern in 15 years in this country. A 
colleague from the Committee on Appropriations came to brag from the 
fact that we are doing so much to reduce the deficit.
  Well, friends, we ought to remember the American public is not fooled 
easily and the American taxpayer knows a lot better. The reality is 
that there have been some reductions in spending. They have all been in 
our defense systems. Every other program in Government is spending more 
money this year than they were last year. The entitlement programs have 
expanded. Let us not kid anybody. People know the impact Government is 
having upon their lives. Somebody who comes and suggests that the 
Congress, one way or another, should take credit has really got to be 
kidding. I did not rise to praise or condemn this President or past 
Presidents. It is the Congress that is to blame. The Congress loves 
spending. Our committees expand their programs. They have yet to see a 
program they just do not love. So every year they add to the deficit by 
expanding Congress-led spending. It is time that Congress led the 
change to reduce the deficit.

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