[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 1995, the gentlewoman from Missouri [Ms. McCarthy] is 
recognized during morning business for 1 minute.
  Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday we will begin debate on a 
resolution to add an amendment to the Constitution to require a 
balanced budget.
  The fiscal mismanagement that has existed at the Federal level has 
compelled this body to seek a constitutional remedy to our exploding 
debt problem. Over the years, attempts at statutory discipline have 
failed miserably. The succession of such failed statutory remedies--
from Gramm-Rudman-Hollings in 1987 to the Budget Enforcement Act of 
1990--liters the legislative landscape and affirms the need for a 
balanced budget amendment. It appears obvious that we need the 
discipline of a constitutional amendment to control Federal spending.
  However, notwithstanding the need for the procedural discipline that 
a constitutional amendment will bring, we are fooling ourselves if we 
think the votes we will cast this week for the balanced budget 
amendment are the difficult votes. No, the truly tough votes will occur 
this spring and summer and in subsequent springs and summers when we 
turn to the budget and appropriations process. At that time we will see 
whether we are serious about cutting the deficit and whether we will 
make the sacrifices necessary to end the days of deficit spending.
  During the course of last year's campaign I pledged support for the 
balanced budget amendment; I am committed to keep that promise. 
However, of equal importance will be my commitment to find ways to cut 
government spending without transferring that burden to the States or 
the elderly. Reducing government spending should be the goal of every 
Member in this body, but that goal has to be reached without shifting 
the costs to other levels of government or those least able to pay.


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