[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     LET US GET PAST THE BLAME GAME

  (Mr. SCHIFF asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, in response to the last speaker, I would 
like to say two things: First, the government is in a partial shutdown 
as much because the President of the United States vetoed three 
appropriations bills as because Congress has not passed three other 
legislative appropriations bills. If the President had signed the three 
appropriation bills he was given by the Congress the national monuments 
that I see on the news every night would, in fact, be open today.
  I think it is time to get past the blame game. That brings me to my 
other point. The last speaker criticized the Republican Budget 
Reconciliation Act, the Republican 7-year balanced budget plan.
  I do not agree with all provisions of that act. But where is the 
alternative? The President of the United States could make a good-faith 
effort by putting forth his proposed 7-year balanced budget, evaluated 
by the Congressional Budget Office, as we agreed in the past 1 month, 
to show where his priorities are. This way, we have two budgets to 
compare with each other.
  In conclusion, I want to say if the President puts forth such a 
budget, I will support a continuing resolution for negotiating time.

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