[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H1400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         LIFT THE DEBT CEILING

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we are getting dangerously 
close to default, and simply put, there is the wrong way to run the 
finances of our great Nation. Congress' failure to raise the debt 
ceiling will have immediate and devastating effects. The U.S. credit 
rating will be ruined; Social Security checks on which 43 million 
senior citizens rely will bounce. Benefits for over 37 million of our 
Nation's veterans will not be allocated. Pensions for 4 million 
civilian and military retirees are at risk.
  Mr. Speaker, this is craziness. This is deja vu back to the days of 
holding the Government hostage to force acceptance of a balanced budget 
plan that the American people have rejected. Now the Republicans are 
trying it all over again, except this time the hostage is our Nation's 
full faith and credit, 43 million senior citizens, 3 million veterans, 
and 4 million civilian and military retirees.
  When will they learn? Waiting until the last minute and insisting on 
including provisions that have nothing to do with the debt limit is the 
height of irresponsibility, and my friends on the other side of the 
aisle should be ashamed. It is time we pass a clean debt ceiling bill 
and get on about the Nation's business. Shame on coming this close to 
defaulting on our Nation's obligations.

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