[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 28 (Thursday, March 6, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BLUE DOG COALITION BUDGET

  (Mrs. TAUSCHER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that in my first opportunity 
to speak on the floor of the House, I am rising to voice my strong 
support for the blue dog coalition budget. The coalition budget is a 
commonsense approach to deficit reduction. It does not rely on 
gimmicks, nor do we postpone the tough cuts until the final years of 
the plan.
  At this point the blue dog budget is the only budget plan that will 
balance the budget by the year 2002 and take the Social Security trust 
fund off budget by 2005. As Members of Congress, we must show our 
constituents that we can make the tough choices necessary to put our 
fiscal house in order. The coalition budget proves that we can balance 
the budget, save Medicare and Social Security, and preserve our 
commitment on education.
  If we colleagues are truly looking to balance the budget in a 
bipartisan manner, I urge them to take a long hard look at the blue dog 
budget. This is the right plan for Democrats and Republicans to begin 
to form a truly bipartisan consensus on a balanced budget.

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