[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 83 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      PRESIDENT'S PROMISED VETO OF RESCISSIONS BILL IRRESPONSIBLE

  (Mr. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, President Clinton's promise to veto the 
rescissions bill is irresponsible and lacking of leadership: 
irresponsible because just 2 weeks ago the President pretended to 
negotiate in good faith with House Republicans, only to back out at the 
last minute for short-term political gain; lacking of leadership 
because this President who only 2 years ago was promising a balanced 
budget by 1996 is now incapable of cutting $16 billion, $16 billion, 
that is only 1 percent that he says he cannot cut.
  What reasons does he give? Well, first he says he wants to eliminate 
more pork, but then turns around and says well, we cannot cut the 
AmeriCorps program, the biggest boondoggle there ever was.
  Then he says, ``You can't cut efforts to help people,'' and then 
turns around and says he is going to veto the relief package to 
Oklahoma City.
  The fact the President would save his veto for this bill demonstrates 
that he is more interested in playing politics than acting as leader. 
Does anyone wonder why the American people consider the President 
irrelevant to the process?

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