[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE SHUTDOWN, THE BUDGET, AND TAX CUTS

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, there has been some discussion today about 
the budget negotiations. I have a couple comments to add to this 
discussion.
  First, with respect to the budget negotiations, there ought not be, 
under any condition, another Government shutdown. It is, in my 
judgment, a symbol for the entire country of failure when some people 
here in the Congress decide that shutting down the Government should be 
used to accomplish their ends.
  A shutdown asks the American taxpayer to pay for work that is not 
performed. It asks some Federal employees to come to work and accept 
the promise of pay later, but it deprives them of their paycheck. It 
sends the other Federal workers home without pay, when they have bills 
to pay and obligations to meet and want to come to work.
  The shutdown dangles Federal workers at the end of a string, saying 
to them: ``You are the ones we will use as pawns in this budget 
debate.''
  Those who advocate shutdowns, and there are some, demonstrate that 
you can have a hard head and a cold heart at the same time. But that 
advocacy does not show any capacity to think this budget crisis through 
to a decent conclusion. We ought not have another Government shutdown 
under any conditions, because it serves no interests except to hurt 
this country. All of us, it seems to me, in Congress, ought to pledge 
never to let another Government shutdown happen again on our watch.
  Now, about balancing the budget, we should balance the budget. I have 
said before and I will say again, because it is worth saying, I think 
the Republicans deserve credit for pushing for a balanced budget. You 
deserve credit for that. Democrats deserve credit for pushing a 
balanced budget with the right kind of priorities. We ought to get the 
best of both rather than the worst of each.
  People talk about ``families balance their budgets.'' Can anyone in 
here think about a family that sits around their table at night and 
says, ``We need to develop a plan to balance our budget, so let's see, 
we are going to help our oldest son make payments on the Mercedes. We 
need to send a monthly stipend to rich Uncle Louie over in Nashville. 
How are we going to pay for all that? Let's cut back on mama's health 
care and let's pull junior out of college.''
  Does that sound like a logical approach for a family, in making their 
decisions about how to deal with their budget situation? Not hardly. 
Nor is it the right way for Congress to deal with its budget situation.
  Interestingly enough, we have come to a point where there is a lot of 
agreement on the budget-balancing question. There are a number of areas 
of agreement but there are a couple of large areas of disagreement.
  Most people, in assessing this problem, would start by saying you do 
not balance the budget by cutting your revenue. I think everybody on 
all sides of the aisle ought to decide to abandon tax cuts at this 
point until we have honestly balanced the budget, and then come back 
and assess the question of how you change the tax code and how you cut 
taxes for middle-income families.
  But I say to all parties in these negotiations, it would make sense, 
it seems to me, to abandon the proposals to cut taxes because I think 
everyone in this Chamber who thinks about it honestly will understand, 
every dollar of tax cut during the 7 years will be borrowed and added 
to the Federal deficit. Every single dollar of tax cut will be 
borrowed. I say abandon the tax cut. Deal with the spending issues in a 
real way, and let us balance the budget.
  The problem we have at the moment is some are insisting on a tax cut 
well over $200 billion. In order to make room for that, you have to 
have deeper cuts in Medicare. That is where the scales are balanced, 
or, better said, out of balance. In order to get this tax cut on this 
side up to $12,000-some, you have to pull down the Medicare costs. You 
have to cut Medicare to accommodate the tax cut. That is the dilemma.

  Abandon the tax cut, balance the budget honestly, reach an agreement, 
and do it in a way that represents the best interests of the priorities 
of the American people. Let us make sure we have enough money for 
education. Let us provide for health care for senior citizens. Let us 
do the things that are necessary to protect this country's environment. 
Let us do this the right way. It can be done.
  There are good Republicans and good Democrats who think clearly about 
these things. We ought to be able to come together to reach an 
agreement, in my judgment.

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