[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 79 (Friday, May 12, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6643-S6644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                               THE BUDGET

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, in January 1961, Dwight Eisenhower gave his 
last speech as President to the American people.
  And in those remarks, Ike offered some advice which should be 
remembered by all of us in the Senate--and all Americans--as the 
Federal budget moves to the top of our agenda in the coming weeks.
  Eisenhower said, and I quote:

       As we peer into society's future, we must avoid the impulse 
     to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and 
     convenience the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot 
     mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without 
     risking the loss also of their political and spiritual 
     heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to 
     come, and not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.

  It has now been over 34 years ago since President Eisenhower spoke 
those words. And as everyone here knows, they are words that have been 
tragically ignored. When Ike left the White House, our national debt 
stood at approximately $248 million--$248 million. Today, it is $4.8 
trillion. And it continues to grow by $355,000 each and every minute--
that is $482 million a day--far more than our entire debt in 1961.
  There can be no getting around the fact, Mr. President, that America 
is at a crossroads, and we face a choice.
  Down one road is the status quo.
  It is a road that means living for today, plundering the resources of 
tomorrow.
  It is a road that means we continue to mortgage the assets of our 
children and grandchildren.
  It is a road that sentences our country to the future that Eisenhower 
foresaw--a future as an insolvent phantom.
  This is a very easy road to take, because it involves no tough 
decisions, and no leadership of any kind.
  And it is the road recommended by President Clinton, and by many of 
my friends on the other side of the aisle.
  Down the other road is change.
  A road that means reversing the spending patterns of the last three 
decades.
  A road that means reducing the rate of growth of Government spending.
  A road that allows Congress to rein in the Federal Government, and to 
return power to the States and more importantly to the people.
  It is a road that will be very bumpy, because it will require some 
tough, tough, tough decisions.
  It is a road that requires leadership--leadership that House and 
Senate Republican majorities are willing to provide.
  It is a road that we must take, because it is a road that will result 
in a stronger America for our children and our grandchildren.
  And thanks to the courage and hard work of Chairman Domenici, and his 
fellow Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee, we now have a map 
which will help guide us down this road.
  In developing a historic budget that slows the growth in Federal 
spending from 5 to 3 percent a year, and that achieves a balanced 
budget within 7 years, Senator Domenici and the Budget Committee 
deserve the gratitude of all Americans.
  The Domenici budget reflects our commitment to the American people to 
rein in the Federal bureaucracy. It eliminates more than 140 Federal 
departments, agencies, and programs--including the Department of 
Commerce. In doing so, it moves power out of Washington, and back to 
the people, where it belongs.
  The Domenici budget reflects our commitment to keep Americans safe. 
It maintains funding for the FBI, the DEA, the INS, and for crime-
control initiatives that aid police on the front lines in the war 
against crime.
  The Domenici budget reflects our commitment to protect Social 
Security, and to preserve, improve, and protect Medicare.
  And it reflects our commitment to maintain a safety net for those in 
true need, by funding WIC, School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, Head 
Start, child care, and efforts to track down deadbeat dads.
  Senator Domenici should also be congratulated for keeping the 
majority members together in defeating Democrat amendments to raise 
taxes, cut defense, or spend more money.
  Is the Budget Committee proposal perfect? Of course not. Every 
Senator--including this one--could find some program they thought 
needed more money, or others that needed less. But it is a historic 
document that truly sets America in the right direction.
  And I might add that, according to this morning's newspapers, the 
world agrees with that statement. These press reports suggest that 
because of speculation we actually might do more than we have in the 
past to cut the deficit, the dollar staged its biggest 1-day rally in 
nearly 4 years.
  Apparently, this news slipped by the Clinton administration. Despite 
the Vice President's promise a few months ago that--and I quote: ``We 
think the task of balancing the budget is one that we have to actually 
take responsibility for ourselves,'' notwithstanding that quote, the 
White House has chosen to abdicate a leadership role in reducing our 
deficit.
  The budget they proposed earlier this year, is one that would give us 
deficits 
 [[Page S6644]] of $300 billion for as far as the eye can see.
  Mr. President, the new Republican Congress promised to make the tough 
decisions. We promised to fight the status quo. We promised to stand 
for real change. We promised to balance the budget. And as this budget 
proves, we are keeping our promises.
  And make no mistake about it, at the same time we are balancing the 
budget, we will also keep our promise to provide real tax relief to 
America's families.
  Let me close, Mr. President, by warning the American people that in 
the coming weeks, President Clinton and his administration will be 
trotting out the same old scare tactics they tried before last 
November's election.
  We will hear them say that Republicans are heartless. We will hear 
them say that Republicans want to help the rich, and harm those in 
need. We will hear them say that we are targeting children and seniors. 
We will see them throw a lot of rocks at Republicans. But I am afraid 
what we will not see from them is leadership.
  While they engage in class warfare, the Republican Congress will 
continue to declare war against the deficit. And with the support of 
the American people, it is a war that we will win.


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