[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 186 (Monday, November 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FRAMEWORK FOR NEGOTIATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] is recognized 
during morning business for 2 minutes.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, now that 
the Republican manufacture of Government shutdown is over, as America's 
families gather for Thanksgiving, they should thank our President of 
the United States for hanging tough.
  Because he did, no longer under this agreement will Medicare be 
allowed to be used as a piggy bank to pay for the tax cuts for the 
wealthy. Because he did, we now have an agreement that states that this 
balanced budget must protect future generations, ensure Medicare 
solvency, reform welfare, and provide adequate funding for Medicaid, 
none of which was accomplished under the Republican language.
  It also provides that we protect future generations by adequately 
funding the environmental programs of this Nation. Again, it was not 
required under the Republican language.
  Most importantly, the new language that the President's hanging tough 
allowed us to achieve last night was that it will now help working 
families as opposed to the original Republican plan of taxing working 
families.
  We have now the framework for negotiation among the administration 
and the Congress, and hopefully among the American people, about the 
direction that this country will take, about our future, about future 
generations, and the kinds of decisions that we can make to ensure that 
we continue a progressive and civil society, or we can turn to budget 
cuts that are so drastic that they reach into the inside of almost 
every American family and pit a younger generation seeking education 
against an older generation that may need long-term health care and 
protection from rising health care costs.
  The framework has now been set by the President of the United States, 
the negotiations begin next Monday, and I believe now we have an 
opportunity for truly a national conversation about the priorities of 
this Nation.

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