[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 96 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        OFFERING SOME SOLUTIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. For what purpose does the gentleman from 
Massachusetts rise?
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. I ask unanimous consent to offer some 
solutions, for 1 minute.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for 1 minute.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, well, one solution to the 
problem would be not to build more B-2 bombers that we do not need, not 
to build more Sea Wolf submarines, not to add billions to the 
President's budget for defense, and instead put that into Medicare.
  Medicare does need some help, and if the Republicans would stop 
increasing military spending beyond what we need and instead use it for 
Medicare, that would help, in particular.
  We heard the most astounding thing today. The chairman of the 
Committee on Rules said that an amendment offered by the second ranking 
Democrat on the Committee on Armed Services could not be debated, and 
it would have allowed the House to vote on whether or not we should add 
$9 billion over the President's request for the military.
  They want to raise the budget by $9 billion in that regard, and the 
chairman of the Committee on Rules said, ``Oh, no, it is too delicate. 
We are negotiating now with the Senate, so we cannot let you vote on 
it.'' In other words, to preserve their negotiating position with the 
Senate, apparently knowing that it is a weak one, they will muffle this 
House, they will stifle this House.
  And so you want to help Medicare? Do not waste that $9 billion. Use 
it where it is needed.


                          ____________________