[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 189 (Wednesday, November 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BUDGET RECONCILIATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, our budget should reflect our values.
  We now have a chance to achieve that important goal. Before 
Thanksgiving, we voted to return all government employees to work--
ending the false distinction between those referred to as essential and 
those as nonessential.
  In addition, the President and leadership from the majority in 
Congress reached an agreement, in principal, to balance the budget, to 
use reliable revenue projections, and to protect vital social programs.
  As part of that agreement and our action, in the House and in the 
Senate, we are aiming at December 15th to deliver on those commitments. 
The American people expect us to reach that target. Another Government 
shutdown will not be tolerated.
  How can we reach that target, what are the obstacles to reaching that 
target, and what are the values of America? We can reach that target by 
putting principal and people above politics and party. We can reach 
that target by discovering our similarities and overlooking our 
differences.
  Now the obstacles, admittedly, are many.
  But this Nation and this Congress have faced obstacles before. And we 
have overcome those obstacles by holding to our values.
  We believe in equality. We believe in fairness. We believe in 
justice. And, we believe in family. Those are values held by every 
Member of this Chamber.
  And, since those are our similarities, there is really no reason for 
our differences to prevent us from enacting a long-term, balanced 
budget bill by December 15.
  If all of us believe in equality, fairness, justice, and family--and 
we do--why should achieving a balanced budget in 7, 8, 9 or 10 years be 
an obstacle?
  It should not.
  If all of us believe in equality--and we do--why should there by any 
distinction in tax relief between those making $100,000 dollars a year 
or more and those making $28,000 dollars a year or less?
  Doesn't fairness require that we treat our seniors, our children, and 
the poor with the same concern and respect as we treat the able-bodied 
and the well-to-do?
  And, what does justice require?
  Is it just to insist upon a rigid set of numbers and a rigid time 
frame that have been subjectively selected?
  Is it justice to increase spending by $245 billion on a tax cut, 
while reducing spending on medicare by $270 billion or on Medicaid by 
$175 billion or while reducing spending on education and the 
environment?
  Can we not agree that justice requires that if we must spend a dollar 
to help some, we should not take a dollar and hurt others?
  And, family--one of our most important values.
  Family is more than a strong father and a sturdy mother.
  Family is a healthy grandfather and grandmother.
  Family is fit children who can count on and look forward to 
educational and economic opportunities.
  Family, in the larger sense, is a community of friends and neighbors 
who have jobs at liveable wages, who have safe and sanitary housing, 
and who can breathe free and drink safe water.
  Not one Member in this Chamber will deny those values.
  And, the budget we enact, before December 15, should reflect each of 
those values.
  If it does, we would have reached our goal.
  If it does not, we have surrendered our values.
  And, so, I challenge the Speaker, the majority leader, others with 
authority in the majority, the leaders on this side of the aisle and 
all Members of this and the other body--hold fast to your values--put 
people first--advance a budget bill, but do not retreat from equality, 
do not shrink from fairness, do not withdraw from justice, and do not 
wince from family.

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