[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 126 (Tuesday, August 1, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11080-S11081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      PRESIDENT CLINTON'S STATEMENT ON LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS

  Mr. MACK. Mr. President, earlier today, in a statement made by 
President Clinton, he said he was planning to veto the legislative 
appropriations bill, and I find that, frankly, very disappointing. 
There have been many press reports suggesting the Clinton White House 
is in a constant campaign mode. His decision to veto the bill is 
clearly the decision of candidate Clinton, not President Clinton. 
Candidate 

[[Page S11081]]
Clinton is playing games. He is misleading the American people.
  This year the Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, cut its own spending 
by nearly 9 percent. A cut of this magnitude has not occurred in 40 
years, I might say, the last time the Republicans controlled the 
Congress.
  The legislative branch bill has not been vetoed since 1920. Let me 
outline a couple of the specifics about what we have done: An overall 
reduction of $206 million; reduction of Senate committee budgets by 15 
percent; elimination of the Office of Technology Assessment; a 2-year, 
25-percent reduction in the budget of the General Accounting Office.
  This is part of what the President had to say today:

       [The Congress] is way behind schedule on virtually every 
     budget bill . . . but one bill, wouldn't you know, is right 
     on schedule--the bill that funds the Congress, its staff, and 
     its operations. I don't think Congress should take care of 
     its own business before it takes care of the people's 
     business.

  If you listen to that statement, there is an implication there that 
they have increased spending in the legislative branch. This is one of 
the most misleading statements that I have heard.
  The President likes to talk about common ground and solving the 
fiscal crisis responsibly, but when it comes to spending cuts he is 
totally absent. We are leading by example. Candidate Clinton is leading 
by rhetoric. It is disappointing and bodes poorly for finding the 
common ground he claims to embrace.
  We hear a lot of talk about a train wreck coming in October. 
President Clinton likes to talk about avoiding it. But when it comes 
time for demonstrating good faith, President Clinton takes a walk and 
candidate Clinton comes into play. It may make good politics, but 
President Clinton is not being served well by candidate Clinton, and 
neither are the American people.
  The American people elected us to cut spending. We are doing it, and 
Bill Clinton is standing in the way.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________