[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H69]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    LET US PUT SOCIAL SECURITY FIRST

  (Mr. ROTHMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, the problems that faced America 2 weeks ago 
are still the same problems that we face today. Despite what has 
occurred in the last week, Congress still has the obligation to move 
the country forward.
  Last year, in a remarkable show of bipartisan effort, the Congress 
gave back to Americans $94 billion in tax cuts and education benefits. 
Now that we have balanced the budget and given America its well-
deserved tax cut, we must take care of today's seniors and the seniors 
of tomorrow by saving Social Security.
  Mr. Speaker, we cannot allow seniors who have put into the system for 
their whole lives to fall into poverty just because they decided to 
retire; and we must never ask them to choose between food, health care, 
and their home. They deserve security and dignity. They paid for it.
  So let us join together across party lines, as we did for the 
balanced budget and for the tax cuts, by heeding President Clinton's 
call. Let us put Social Security first.

                          ____________________