[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PRESIDENT SHOULD GET SERIOUS ABOUT BALANCED BUDGET

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Chrysler] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CHRYSLER. Mr. Speaker, 31 days ago, President Clinton committed 
to balancing the budget in a signed contract with Congress that stated: 
``The President and the Congress shall enact legislation in the first 
session of the 104th Congress to achieve a balanced budget not later 
than fiscal year 2002 as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office * 
* *.'' Since that time, however, it has become more apparent that this 
President has no intention of living up to the agreement.
  Last October, the 104th Congress passed a balanced budget, one that 
finally reforms the Nation's welfare system, provides pro-family and 
pro-jobs tax relief, and saves Medicare from bankruptcy. For 26 years 
our Federal Government has continued deficit spending, crippling the 
Nation with a national debt of nearly $5 trillion and jeopardizing the 
future prosperity of our Nation. This is our last, best hope to do the 
right thing for the future of our children and grandchildren.
  The President claimed he could not agree to our budget and used his 
Constitutional authority to veto it. This is his right, but in 
exercising his power to veto he has a moral obligation to present the 
American people with an honest alternative.
  After 4 weeks we are still waiting for him to present us with a 
budget that balances in accordance with the terms agreed to last month.
  Instead of a comprehensive budget proposal, we have received press 
releases and rhetoric. Instead of negotiating in good faith to seek an 
agreeable compromise, the President and his allies produced and aired 
commercials bashing our proposal even before sitting down at the 
negotiating table. The President talks about compromise but in reality 
has only engaged in confrontation and demagoguery.
  Last Friday, President Clinton submitted yet another budget that 
comes no where close to balance in 7 years according to the honest, 
nonpartisan CBO. In 2002, when our budget would produce a surplus, his 
plan remains at least $75 billion short. This is the same ``we'll get 
to it some day'' mentality that has overshadowed this issue for decades 
and left us in the current deficit mess we have today.
  When put to a vote before this House, the President's budget did not 
get one single vote--not one Republican vote, not one Democratic vote.
  The day before the vote on the President's budget, the House voted 
overwhelmingly, by a vote of 351 to 40, to reaffirm our commitment to a 
7-year balanced budget as determined by the Congressional Budget Office 
signed by December 31, 1995.
  Taken together, that should be a clear signal to the President to get 
serious about a balanced budget.
  Today, however, we get another sign that the President still has not 
gotten serious. Today the President once again broke his word and broke 
off negotiations, continuing the partial shutdown of the Federal 
Government.
  I, for one, will not support another continuing resolution until the 
President lives up to the agreement he made law.
  In 1992, President Clinton campaigned on a balanced budget, ending 
welfare as we know it, and providing tax relief for America's middle 
class working families--our proposal simply follows through on what 
this President could not. We have kept our word to the American people 
and attempted to negotiate in good faith for an agreement both sides 
could live with. Has the President? Strip away the rhetoric and there 
is little evidence he truly wants a balanced budget.

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