[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DEDICATED TO BALANCING THE FEDERAL BUDGET

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, the American people have probably heard a 
lot about how awful things are in Washington. They probably hear about 
the Government being shutdown, and about extremist freshmen holding 
President Clinton hostage, and on and on.
  Mr. Speaker, what we have here is, in fact, a celebration of freedom, 
of democracy, and of the constitutional framework our Founding Fathers 
crafted.
  Yes, there is a conflict over the budget. Yes, parts of the 
Government are closed. Yes, there are strong feelings.
  All of us here in Congress were freely elected. Some of us feel that 
the direction Government has taken over the last generation needs to be 
changed. And we are absolutely dedicated to balancing the Federal 
budget, not just for accounting purposes, but for moral purposes. Our 
children should not bear the consequences for our irresponsibility. And 
that is why I believe that, in the end, Congress and the President will 
do the right thing and balance the budget.
  Merry Christmas America.

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