[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 20 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CONTRACT WITH AMERICA A SUCCESS

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, in 1994, along the campaign trail, 
Republicans said that if the Republican Party became the majority, that 
we would pass a legislative agenda called the Contract with America 
within the first 100 days of the 1995 session.
  Washington pundits and the typical status quo Washington liberals 
said, number one, they would not; number two, they could not; and then 
when the process was going on, they said they should not. All the 
Democrats fought it, kicking and screaming and yelling, saying it was 
going to lead to economic disaster, and all voted against welfare 
reform and voted against tax cuts for the middle class.
  What happened? Within 100 days, the Contract with America passes, and 
what is the result? In 1995, the deficit, $164 billion; 1996, the 
deficit, $107 billion; 1997, the deficit, $22 billion; and in 1998, 
just announced, a surplus of $8 billion.
  Where are all those Democrats who said that the Contract with America 
was going to be an economic disaster, who fought tax cuts for the 
middle class? The proof is that the budget is balanced, it worked, and 
I hope next time they do not fight us.

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