[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 180 (Tuesday, November 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H12327-H12328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Bishop] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk about a 
balanced budget and what the Republicans have offered, but the record 
ought to be set straight that they are not the only ones that have 
offered a balanced budget. The conservative Democrats have offered a 
balanced budget which was rejected by Republicans. It was a proposal to 
balance the budget in 7 years, consistent with the resolution passed by 
the House. It balances the budget through reductions in Government 
programs while preserving the Government programs that benefit society 
in maintaining the fundamental commitment of Government to its contract 
with people.
  On welfare reform, the Democratic budget cuts welfare $60 billion 
less than the Medicaid cuts in the leadership budget. The Democratic 
budget cuts $40 billion over 7 years and the Republican budget cuts 
$100 billion over 7 years. The Democratic budget places stronger work 
and personal responsibility requirements on individuals than the 
Republican budget, including a requirement that each individual 
implement an individual responsibility plan: immediate job training and 
a 5-year time limit on welfare benefits. It provides incentives and 
assistance in helping the poor get off welfare, including full funding 
for child care, full funding for workfare requirement, and State 
options to extend transitional medical assistance.
  Regarding the earned income tax credit, the Republican plan would 
reduce the size and scope of the earned income tax credit. That amounts 
to a tax increase on the working poor. It would also roll back an 
important tax incentive for choosing work over welfare. The Democratic 
budget does not make these eligibility changes. Instead it changes only 
those things to those which improve targeting and tax compliance with 
the program.
  In education, the Democratic budget provides $50 billion more in 
discretionary spending than the Republican budget over the next 7 
years. the funds will make it possible to restore funding for Goals 
2000, title I, impact aid, drug-free schools, and other programs that 
were cut by the Republicans. the budget rejects educational entitlement 
cuts.
  The leadership budget, the Republican budget, makes $10.2 billion in 
cuts. It would raise the cost of student loans by charging students 
interest during the 6-month grace periods after graduation. It would 
increase the cost of loans as much a $2,500 over the repayment period. 
It will raise interest rates on parent loans. It would terminate direct 
student loan programs.
  Regarding agriculture, the Democratic budget makes reasonable cuts in 
agriculture, $4.4 billion over 7 years. It continues existing farm 
programs with reasonable cuts so that farmers' operating programs, 
their financing and their investment plans will not be disrupted. The 
Republican budget, the so-called Freedom to Farm provisions, make $13.4 
billion in cuts. It makes no provision for the continuation of 
agriculture programs beyond the year 2002. It makes it more difficult 
for farmers to receive credit. It discourages cost-efficient 
investments in capital equipment.

                              {time}  2045

  Also it removes the safety net of economic stability in rural 
communities. The President should not give in to blackmail. The 
Republican leaders in Congress are attempting to blackmail the American 
people into accepting a budget-balancing plan that pays for a massive 
$245 billion tax cut for the rich by extreme $450 billion reductions in 
Medicare and Medicaid.
  The Republicans threaten to force the Government to default on its 
obligations and shut down unless the President lets them balance the 
budget in 7 years their way, a way that hurts seniors, hurts children, 
hurts farmers, hurts rural hospitals, and hurts college students.
  I am a fiscal conservative. I support a balanced budget. Conservative 
Democrats offered a bill to balance the budget in 7 years that is 
credible, makes reasonable reductions in Government programs, while 
preserving those that benefit our Nation's people. The Republican 
majority reject this fair bill. Let us get a bipartisan agreement to 
balance the budget in a way that is fair and just to all Americans, not 
just the rich, but let us not give in to blackmail.

[[Page H 12328]]


  REPORT ON HOUSE RESOLUTION 250, AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF 
               REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE FOR GIFT REFORM

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART, from the Committee on Rules, submitted a privileged 
report (Rept. No. 104-337) on the resolution (H. Res. 250) to amend the 
rules of the House of Representatives to provide for gift reform, which 
was referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

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