[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H856-H857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS COMMITTED TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

  (Mr. ADAM SMITH of Washington asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ADAM SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, the most recent estimates 
show that we are actually going to have a budget surplus for fiscal 
year 1998 if all continues to go well this year.
  I rise to make a couple of comments about that. First of all, I think 
we can all be proud of that accomplishment. It was just 5 years ago 
that the deficit was $300 billion and climbing, with no end in sight. 
It was depressing to look as the interest on the debt rose to the point 
where we felt we would never get out of that hole. Now we are starting 
to make progress and can be proud of that.
  I feel that both parties can have some degree of credit for that 
accomplishment. But as a Democrat, I am

[[Page H857]]

particularly proud that my party has shown that it can be fiscally 
responsible. It can be fiscally responsible, where at the same time 
caring about other things that are important to the American people: 
investing in our future through education, protecting our seniors by 
making sure that they have health care and Social Security.
  One final point. While we have accomplished a lot, there is still 
much to accomplish. Fiscal responsibility is not accomplished in one 
day. You cannot do it once and forget about it. It is a continual task. 
In the months and years ahead we must remain committed to that fiscal 
responsibility. I am proud that my party has made that commitment.

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