[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 64 (Thursday, May 9, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              REPUBLICAN BALANCED BUDGET PROPOSAL PART II

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                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 9, 1996

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership, 
just in time for Presidential election year politics is talking about a 
balanced budget again. This is deja vu for the American voter who well 
remembers the campaign promises of Ronald Reagan who predicted that he 
could balance the Federal budget by cutting taxes and increasing 
spending. Candidate George Bush called that budgetary slight of hand 
``Voodoo Economics.''
  The results of two Reagan terms was a budget deficit which for the 
first time in any country's history used the term trillion to quantify 
the extent of the deficit.
  I would assume that there is a campaign commercial spot for every 
stage of this upcoming budget drama that the Republican majority is 
planning.
  Medicare, Medicaid, education, and welfare are on the top of the list 
for cuts right now, but I think that we can find ways to be fair and 
just when we make budgetary reduction decisions without shutting the 
Federal Government down.
  I would hope that this next attempt to seriously deal with this 
Nation's budget deficit will include compassion for the poor, our 
children and the elderly.
  We should not play election year politics with this country's budget.

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