[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 30 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H1780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE NATION'S FINANCIAL STANDING

  (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, the Republican majority today will make 
sure we have more uncertainty with a limited debt limit extension and 
more gridlock with a sure-to-be vetoed continuing resolution. No wonder 
the Congress has a negative rating of over 60 percent. We have even 
surpassed used car salesmen in lack of confidence.
  On the debt limit, again we are playing games with the Nation's 
financial standing, giving a debt limit extension just 2 more weeks 
simply to gain leverage for the majority's agenda. The continuing 
resolution cuts education by $3 billion, 20 percent over the last year, 
and decimates veterans' programs by $200 million. In fact, this bill 
unfairly targets VA Secretary Jesse Brown, who is doing his job with 
major cuts in his office; pettiness, politics. They do not like his 
pointing out that VA programs are being cut dramatically. On the 
chopping block today, student loans, basic reading and math skills, 
Head Start, safe and drug free schools, vocational education.
  Mr. Speaker, let us end this gridlock.

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