[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S132-S133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE PRESIDENT AND THE DEMOCRATS WANT A BALANCED BUDGET

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, let me just make two points. I think we have 
maybe a couple minutes left. Two points. One, for the last 3 years the 
deficit, under President Clinton, has been reduced by 50 percent. There 
will be fewer Federal employees, 272,000 under that proposal that was 
passed and signed in 1993. And today, we have about 200,000 fewer 
employees than there were 3 years ago.
  There is no question to what the President and the Democrats have 
agreed to, that we want a balanced budget and, two, that it would be in 
7 years and, three, it would be certified by CBO.
  The President has laid two budgets on the table, one, balance the 
budget in 7 years, as certified by CBO. Last evening, the second was 
put on the table to balance the budget, approved by CBO. The only 
difference here now is whether we give a huge tax cut or not.

  My friend from Mississippi says that they have cut it to a $177 
billion tax cut. My figures are, when you put it together, that it is 
$203 billion they are still holding on to and clinging to, which would 
be the tax cut they want to put in. If you look at the coalition in the 
House, they do not want to give any tax cut. It is zero. We hear a lot 
about the Blue Dogs in the House. Their tax cut is zero. The bipartisan 
group's over here is somewhat higher. But there is $87 billion that the 
President has agreed to in tax cuts and $203 billion that the 
Republicans want in tax cuts. We feel like this is not the time to give 
the huge tax cuts, and that we ought to try to be compassionate and 
take care of the elderly. We do not need to cut Medicare or increase 
the premium on part B of Medicare. We do not need to increase the 
deductible on part B in order to give the tax break.
  Mr. President, the budget is not balanced under the Republican 
balanced budget because if you look on page three of the reconciliation 
bill, it is $108.4 billion of money used from Social Security. I put 
into the Record last week two things--one statutory and the other in 
the law--relating to Social Security. You cannot use that money other 
than what it is collected for.
  So we have a lot to work on. But the work is only between $87 billion 
and $203 billion, and where you cut more or less and who gets the tax 
break. The hour of 1:50 has arrived.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, we have no further requests for time. All 
time has expired under the agreement. We have some unanimous-consent 
requests, and I believe the majority leader may want to come to the 
floor and do that.
  At this point, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. 
  
[[Page S133]]

  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Burns). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, are we under any parliamentary rules?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in morning business. The order was that 
Senators may speak up to 5 minutes each.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak 
for 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________