[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 2 (Thursday, January 4, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H94]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REPUBLICANS DO NOT HOLD THE KEYS

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, the President seems to think that House 
Republicans are keeping the Government shut down. I must say, as a 
House Republican that is news to me.
  You see the Government's front door has got a big old deadbolt on it. 
Republicans managed to open the door when we passed the Balanced Budget 
Act of 1995. President Clinton slammed the door shut and locked it 
tight when he vetoed the Balanced Budget Act.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, here is my keychain. None of my keys will open the 
Government. I checked around with some of my colleagues. None of their 
keys will open the Government either. As it turns out, when the 
President vetoed the Balanced Budget Act, he did not just shut the 
door, he changed the lock.
  Mr. Speaker, we do not hold the keys. The President does. There is 
only one way the Government is going to open back up, and that is when 
the President of the United States agrees to a plan that balances the 
budget in 7 years and uses honest numbers.

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