[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 200 (Friday, December 15, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H14935-H14936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               BUDGET SHOULD REFLECT AMERICA'S PRIORITIES

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, to the prior speaker I say, ``Take the tax 
break off the table, and we will have a Medicare program for seniors 
and we will balance the budget.''
  Last month Speaker Gingrich shut down the Government because he did 
not like his seat on Air Force One. Now he is at it again. This time 
the Speaker wants his way on the budget. While President Clinton, 
Democrats, and Republicans in the other body all try to reach a budget 
agreement, the Gingrich Republicans want to shut down the Government in 
order to force their budget priorities on this country.
  But the American people have rejected the Gingrich budget, a budget 
which slashes Medicare, education, environmental protection, to finance 
that crown jewel of the contract, tax breaks for the wealthiest 
Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time for House Republicans to join the President, 
Democrats, and Republicans in the other body at the negotiating table. 
Let us give the American people an early Christmas present, a budget 
that reflects America's priorities, not Speaker Gingrich's priorities.

[[Page H14936]]


                   FACTS AND FICTION ABOUT THE BUDGET

  (Mr. HERGER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, in their zeal to defend the status quo, 
President Clinton and his Democrat allies in the Congress have 
inundated Americans with a barrage of misinformation about the 
Republican plan to balance the budget. So let me make the distinction 
between Clinton fiction and the plain facts.
  Fiction: The Republican plan to balance the budget cuts education. 
Fact: Funds for student loans rise from $24 billion to $36 billion, and 
the maximum Pell grant goes up to its highest level ever.
  Fiction: Our plan cuts Medicare. Fact: Medicare spending will 
increase by 7.2 percent, more than double the rate of inflation, each 
year. That is an increase from $4,800 to $7,100 per beneficiary. Only 
in Washington would a 50-percent increase be called a cut.
  Mr. Speaker, when the facts are laid out, the American people support 
our plan to balance the budget. Let us give them the best Christmas 
present ever. I say to the President, support our balanced budget.

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