[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 28, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4712-S4713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         REINVENTING GOVERNMENT

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, a little while ago the majority leader 
spoke on the floor regarding the administration's Reinventing 
Government proposal.
  The majority leader suggested that the President has jumped on the 
budget-cutting bandwagon and that he has done so in response to the 
November 1994 election.
  Mr. President, the President and the Vice President, since before the 
November 1992 election, have stated and proven their commitment to the 
process of streamlining government. The proposal announced yesterday 
has been labeled ``REGO II,'' because it is the second phase in a 
Reinventing Government process that began over 2 years ago.
  Through that process headed by Vice President Gore, we have already 
taken steps to cut back the Federal Government. The Federal work force 
is today the smallest it has been since John Kennedy was in the White 
House. The proposal announced yesterday would cut $13.1 billion and 
eliminate 4,805 Government positions over the next 5 years.
  Reinventing Government has been an ongoing, thoughtful process based 
on careful analysis of the ways with which to cut the bureaucracy while 
ensuring the Government's ability to meet our policy goals.
  To suggest that the President or the Vice President have jumped on 
the bandwagon is off base.
  The majority leader also suggested that the rescissions bill the 
Senate is about to consider will provide immediate savings and is, 
therefore, superior to the President's Reinventing Government proposal.
  First, Mr. President, the administration's Reinventing Government 
proposal and the rescissions package are not in competition. It is not 
an either/or. We can and should cut waste and streamline Government 
whenever and wherever it makes sense and fits within our national 
priorities.
  But if the comparison is going to be made, it should be accurate. I 
would hate for anyone to be left with the impression that the 
Republican rescissions package provides over $13 billion in cash 
savings in fiscal year 1995, because it does not.
  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposal would cut 
$13.2 billion in budget authority in fiscal year 1995, but the outlay 
savings would be $11.48 billion spread over the next 5 years. The 
analysis from CBO shows that, while $13.2 billion in budget authority 
would be cut in fiscal year 1995, 
[[Page S4713]]  the Republican proposal would cut only $1.138 billion 
in outlays in fiscal year 1995.
  I ask unanimous consent that a CBO analysis issued today on the 
rescissions package be printed in the Record at this point.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

     SUMMARY: SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS AND RESCISSIONS ACT, 1995 (S. 617), STATUS: SENATE REPORTED    
           [Note: estimates based on April 1, 1995 enactment; by fiscal year, in millions of dollars]           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Outlays--                        
                                            Budget   -----------------------------------------------------------
                                           authority     1995        1996        1997        1998        1999   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Emergencies                                                                                      
                                                                                                                
Fiscal year 1995........................      1,900         335          67       1,498           0           0 
                                                                                                                
         Contingent Emergencies                                                                                 
                                                                                                                
Fiscal year 1996........................      4,800           0           0         346       1,981       2,474 
                                                                                                                
              Supplementals                                                                                     
                                                                                                                
      Fiscal year 1995..................          2         (15)         20         304          99           0 
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary...........................         (7)        (24)         20         304          99           0 
Mandatory...............................          9           9           0           0           0           0 
Fiscal year 1996........................        251           0         (41)         22           0           0 
Fiscal year 1997........................        (40)          0           0         (60)         21           0 
Fiscal year 1998........................        (39)          0           0           0         (43)          3 
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Fiscal years 1995-98.......        174         (15)        (21)        265          77           3 
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary...........................        165         (24)        (21)        265          77           3 
Mandatory...............................          9           9           0           0           0           0 
                                                                                                                
               Rescissions                                                                                      
                                                                                                                
      Fiscal year 1995..................    (13,152)     (1,138)     (2,939)     (2,454)     (1,981)     (2,912)
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Emergencies.............................        (62)         (*)         (2)         (2)         (2)         (4)
Non-Emergencies.........................    (13,090)     (1,138)     (2,937)     (2,452)     (1,979)     (2,908)
Fiscal year 1996--Non-Emergencies.......        (26)          0         (26)          0           0           0 
Fiscal year 1997--Non-Emergencies.......        (29)          0           0         (29)          0           0 
      Total Fiscal years 1995-97........    (13,208)     (1,138)     (2,965)     (2,484)     (1,981)     (2,912)
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Emergencies.............................        (62)         (*)         (2)         (2)         (2)         (4)
Non-Emergencies.........................    (13,146)     (1,138)     (2,963)     (2,481)     (1,979)     (2,908)
                                                                                                                
               Total Bill                                                                                       
                                                                                                                
FY 1995-98:                                                                                                     
  Emergencies...........................      6,700         335          67       1,844       1,981       2,474 
  Supplementals.........................        174         (15)        (21)        265          77           3 
  Rescissions...........................    (13,208)     (1,138)     (2,965)     (2,484)     (1,981)     (2,912)
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total.............................     (6,334)       (818)     (2,919)       (374)         77        (435)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Congressional Budget Office, Mar. 28, 1995.                                                                    

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I hope we can avoid the politicization of 
the debate about reorganizing government. Democrats and Republicans 
both recognize the need to reinvent government, to find ways to run our 
Federal Government in a much more efficient manner.
  The President and the Vice President should be congratulated--not 
criticized--for leading the effort to find new ways, going all the way 
back to the very beginning of this administration, to both reduce the 
cost and the size of government in a meaningful way.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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