[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]

 
             DEFENSE SPENDING IS NOT DISCRETIONARY SPENDING

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say to the last 
speaker that he has, in his charts, defense spending. He is calling 
defense spending discretionary spending. So the question is, if you do 
away with all defense spending, of course discretionary spending will 
come down. Republicans do not believe defense is discretionary. We 
believe it is important that we have defense. And so does the 
Constitution.


                       whose agenda is it anyway?

  Mr. Speaker, no mandates, no abortion coverage, no price controls, 
and no restrictions on the right to choose their own doctor. This is 
what the American people want. Yet, the administration remains 
steadfast in its efforts to push through a bill which has all these 
features.
  The crime bill is bottled up in conference. We must pass a tough 
crime bill which will ensure that more prisons are built, that repeat 
violent offenders are locked up for life, and that the death penalty is 
given as a sentence if the crime committed warrants it.
  Let's listen to our constituency and have both of these tremendously 
important pieces of legislation reflect the will of the American 
people.
  I believe we can pass a health bill which has no mandates and no new 
taxes but provide increased access and affordability.
  We can deliver a tough crime bill which is balanced and fair.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not know about the rest of the country but I know 
the people in the Sixth District want Congress to listen to them.

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