[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 20 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E277-E278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NEW BALANCED BUDGET FIGURES

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                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 4, 1998

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Congressional Budget Office 
announced that

[[Page E278]]

for the first time in almost four decades, the federal budget is 
finally balanced. I applaud my Republican colleagues in Congress as 
well as the Appropriations Committee on which I serve for the efforts 
they put forth to achieve this success.
  The American people gave Republicans a congressional majority because 
we promised to put an end to wasteful and irresponsible government 
spending. The Appropriations Committee is the only committee with a 
direct impact on spending and the federal budget. Every dollar that 
Congress decides to spend or save must come through Appropriations; if 
we do not do our job, a balanced budget can never become a reality. Mr. 
Speaker, anyone can talk about balancing the budget but the fact is, 
only the Appropriations Committee can make it happen.
  While I chaired the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, I 
personally engineered a $262 million dollar two-year reduction in how 
much Congress spends on its own operations. We succeeded in reducing 
waste and improving efficiency, ultimately cutting 10% from Congress' 
own budget. If the entire federal budget were cut proportionately, the 
budget would have shown a $100 billion surplus two years ago. The 
message we sent during those first years in the majority resonated 
throughout the federal government.
  Under the leadership of Congressman Bob Livingston (R-LA), the 
Appropriations Committee has fundamentally changed the way Washington 
spends. Since taking control of Congress, Republicans have eliminated a 
total of 307 outdated and unneeded programs. Mr. Speaker, we have 
streamlined government and made it more accountable to the American 
taxpayer. Under Chairman Livingston's leadership, we have held the line 
on government spending for the past four years in a row. That effort is 
now paying off.

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