[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 4 (Monday, January 9, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  OPENNESS AND HONESTY SOUGHT IN DISCUSSING BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans promised the most open 
Congress in history, but when it comes to being honest about issues 
that mean the most to the American people, they would rather keep us 
all in the dark.
  Yesterday, the new majority leader refused to disclose the details of 
one of the centerpieces of the Contract With America--the balanced 
budget amendment. When asked why he would not tell the American people 
what the balanced budget amendment included, the majority leader said 
that he feared that the amendment would be defeated if the details were 
spelled out for the American people.
  The American people have a right to know exactly how we would balance 
the budget. They have a right to know if Republicans are planning on 
putting Medicare and Social Security on the chopping block.
  Democrats are offering the ``Honest Budget Bill,'' which will require 
sponsors of a balanced budget proposal to present a line by line 
account of how they would achieve a balanced budget. It is a bill which 
meets the standards of accountability, honesty, and openness that the 
American people have demanded. Standards that my Republican colleagues 
have failed to meet, thus far.

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