[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 42 (Thursday, April 10, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WHERE IS REPUBLICAN BUDGET?

  (Mr. WISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, what the gentleman who preceded me in the well 
did not say was that his party does not have a budget that explains how 
we make these cuts, whether they be Medicare cuts or tax cuts. Indeed, 
this Congress just returned from what I thought was the Easter break, 
but hearing the Speaker's comments yesterday promising massive tax cuts 
made it sound more like a political Christmas.
  It was only 2 years ago that Members of the Republican Party paraded 
into this well to say, where is the White House budget? Well, what a 
difference 2 years makes. Now the conservative Democrats have presented 
the so-called blue dog budget, the White House has presented its 
balanced budget. What has the reaction been? The Republican 
Congressional Budget Office says it is not balanced enough, but they 
presented no budget of their own.
  Then they say the Medicare cuts are not deep enough. They presented 
no budget of their own. Yesterday the Speaker promised eliminating all 
capital gains. That is about $40 billion a year, the mass of the 
benefits going to the wealthiest individuals in the country, and yet no 
budget has been presented.
  So here is my challenge to the other party. When you demand cuts, put 
a budget on the table before you come to the table.

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