[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 188 (Tuesday, November 28, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REPUBLICANS ARE DOING WHAT DEMOCRATS FAILED TO DO

  (Mr. RIGGS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, the refrain we hear about Washington these 
days is everybody wants to balance the Federal Budget. We even hear 
that claim coming from some of the more liberal Members of Congress who 
traditionally in years past have supported more deficit spending and 
higher taxes.
  Well, let us remember a few important facts. First of all, candidate 
Bill Clinton pledged to balance the budget in 5 years, and we 
Republicans are proposing to do that in 7 years.
  Second, the President stated unequivocally in his State of the Union 
Address, no less from the podium right behind me, that the 
Congressional Budget Office estimates should be used when formulating 
the budget, the same numbers that Republicans are using and that he now 
disputes.
  Third, the Democratic Party controlled Congress for the last 2 years, 
the first 2 years of the Clinton Presidency, and nothing even remotely 
approaching a balanced budget plan evolved. In fact, many Americans got 
a tax hike despite the President's campaign promises of tax cuts.
  We ought to remember the truth when we are having this debate, Mr. 
Speaker. If Democrats had us on a glidepath to a balanced budget within 
the first 2 years of the Clinton administration, not only would the 
Government shutdown have been avoided, but they would more than likely 
still be the majority party in the Congress.
  Now the President is simply playing politics trying to block the 
Republicans from doing what his party has failed to do.

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