[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H3081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PASS THE BALANCED BUDGET AGREEMENT BEFORE THE PATIENCE OF THE AMERICAN 
                          PEOPLE IS MAXED OUT

  (Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to hear 
the liberals on the other side talk about how disappointed they are 
that we are not spending more money. At last tally the national debt 
stood at $5.1 trillion. The national credit card is hereby declared 
maxed out.
  The politicians in Washington have been going crazy with the national 
credit card for too long. Although we might think that running up the 
national credit card is clearly a case of insufficient adult 
supervision, think again. No, the $5 trillion debt on the national 
credit card is a result of 40 years of expanding big government. It is 
a result of special interests taking over the budget at the expense of 
the middle class taxpayers. It is a result of an entitlement mentality 
that requires government to live beyond its means.
  Mr. Speaker, there has been a change in the management in Washington. 
The change in adult supervision means the national credit card is about 
to see a declining balance for the first time since 1969. Deficit 
spending has gone on long enough. So I urge my colleagues to be 
persistent in moving forward on the balanced budget agreement before 
the patience of the American people is maxed out, too.

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