[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 195 (Friday, December 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BALANCE THE BUDGET NOW

                                 ______


                        HON. WILLIAM J. MARTINI

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 7, 1995

  Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, the flags in our Capitol fly at half mast 
today for a reason.
  Fifty-four years ago, Pearl Harbor was bombed and our Nation was on 
the brink of one of the greatest challenges we have ever faced.
  Our national leaders rallied to the cause and did what was right.
  And our people prepared themselves to make the ultimate sacrifice in 
defense of our great Nation.
  Together our Nation rose up to defend itself against the Axis Powers, 
and turned what was a time of great peril into one of our finest hours.
  Today we also face a challenge, not by any means as direct or as 
obvious, but over time it will become no less dangerous.
  That challenge, Mr. Speaker, is to balance the budget, and bring 
fiscal responsibility to a nation that is threatened, not by an outside 
invader, but by its own lack of discipline.
  If we do not reverse our disturbing trend of deficit spending and 
alleviate the burdens on the taxpayers of future generations, we will 
be diminishing the national legacy our parents left us.
  Now as we face one of our generation's great challenges, we owe it to 
both our parents and our children to meet it head on.
  This Congress has delivered to the American people that will in fact 
balance the budget in a fair and reasonable manner.
  But sadly, the President has vetoed it.
  He is turning away when he should be facing up.
  I urge him and my colleagues not to fail in our moment of truth, but 
to rise up and face the most important issue of our day: balance the 
budget now, and preserve for our Nation a prosperous and productive 
future.

                          ____________________