[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    KEEPING OUR PROMISES: ADHERING TO THE BALANCED BUDGET AGREEMENT

  (Mr. MILLER of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, what a difference a year makes. 
Last year, Congress promised the American taxpayers to limit government 
spending and balance the Federal budget. This year, Congress is 
considering breaking that promise.
  Today, I am here to announce that I, as a Member of Congress, will 
not support abandoning the balanced budget agreement for special 
interest projects. This latest assault on our efforts at fiscal reform 
is transportation spending. The Senate just finished their version of 
ISTEA which will break the budget caps for $18 billion and the House 
version in its current form exceeds the caps by more than $22 billion.
  To stick to the agreement, this excessive spending will require 
massive spending cuts. Congress and the American people deserve to know 
if, when and where these cuts will be made before we are asked to vote 
for increased transportation spending.
  I am here this morning to ask my colleagues to keep their promise we 
made to the American people last year and adhere to the balanced budget 
agreement. The future of our children is more important to me than the 
Federal Government picking up the tab for a ``Dan Miller Expressway.''

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