[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 25, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SPELL OUT PLAN FOR BALANCED BUDGET

  (Mr. SKAGGS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SKAGGS. Mr. Speaker, amending the Constitution is always very 
serious business. The balanced budget amendment is particularly serious 
when, as proposed in the contract, it is to be joined with an increase 
in military spending, a cut in taxes, and a promise not to touch Social 
Security. And, to boot, we are supposed to make it almost impossible 
ever to consider even an emergency tax increase on upper income 
Americans if that were necessary to reach balance. In other words, it 
is all to be done, all $1 trillion-plus, by 2002 by cuts in spending.
  Now the advocates of this approach say it can be done. Assuming they 
are speaking in good faith, that must mean they have some plan for 
getting it done, and if they have such a plan, it seems to me they 
ought to let the American people know what is in it.
  Let us know where this road leads before we start down it, promising 
to get to the other end. And if they do not have a plan, then let us 
know that now too.
  Unfortunately, however, the Committee on Rules refused to make in 
order an amendment that would give the American people the right to 
know.




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