[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S4987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           AMERICA ON MY MIND

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today with America on my mind to 
applaud our favorite Republican Senators and Republican Congressmen who 
have worked so diligently in trying to present a budget that stays in 
balance and would balance the budget in 6 years and still would not 
raise taxes.
  It is interesting that my colleague from North Dakota would also put 
in there that he likes the balanced budget. We would like to see him 
vote for one. Take-home pay, if the budget is balanced, will increase, 
predictability in the marketplace, predictability of jobs. That is what 
worries people today: ``Will I have my job in a year?''
  Government has to be more responsible when it comes to spending. I 
look here at this cartoon. ``What are you looking at?'' He says, ``Our 
paychecks!'' He takes a magnifying glass to see it.
  The Republican budget will balance by the year 2002 and does it by 
living within its means without raising taxes. This budget provides 
real welfare reform, real welfare reform that the President and the 
administration has called for but has vetoed. It provides tax relief 
for job expansion, predictability in the workplace, and, more 
importantly, it gets us on the road of saving and preserving Medicare 
for future generations, of which our colleagues, some of them, have 
stuck their heads in the sand.
  Mr. CONRAD. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. BURNS. It looks out for the long term, not just the short term.
  Mr. CONRAD. Will the Senator yield for a question?
  Mr. BURNS. I would like to make my statement, and then I have a 
committee meeting to go to, if the Senator does not mind.
  Balancing the budget, without raising taxes, and deals also with 
Federal spending. You know, spending money, especially other people's 
money, is sort of like alcoholism. A fellow asked, ``Does he have a 
drinking problem?'' And he says, ``No, he has a stopping problem.'' 
That is what we have in this Government. But if we deal with the 
spending problem, here is what has to happen. Families have to balance 
their budget. Government does not have an income problem. It has a 
spending problem. Mr. President, 38.2 percent of the family's income 
right now goes for taxes. So there is no doubt about it, a balanced 
budget will put more money in the pockets of Americans, not just a 
selected few, all Americans--single-income taxpayer, double-income 
taxpayer, newlyweds, farmers, ranchers, high tech, low tech. Everybody 
wins with a balanced budget.

  The best way to increase our take-home pay, not only earn more but 
save more, to keep more in your pocket at the end of the month--it is 
better than any other program--is to go with a balanced budget. I 
applaud my colleagues who have worked so hard on this budget, 
presenting it to this Congress later on this week. I stand in support 
of that budget. I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent we extend morning 
business so I may be permitted to make a 10-minute presentation that is 
accounted for in the previous order of the Senate.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask if the Senator would be so kind to 
extend that for another 5 minutes so I may have 5 minutes when he 
concludes his 10-minute presentation.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, let me further amend the unanimous 
consent, if I might. My colleague, Senator Conrad, had wanted to 
respond. Let me ask if we might add 2 minutes to respond because the 
previous speaker spoke of Senator Conrad and refused to yield to him. I 
make a unanimous-consent request that Senator Conrad be accorded 2 
minutes. I continue to seek my 10 minutes, and I am happy to 
accommodate the Senator from Missouri.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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