[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 38 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1705-H1706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PUT THE SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS IN A TRUE TRUST FUND

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1

[[Page H1706]]

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, not since Neil Armstrong walked on the 
Moon and Mod Squad was on our television screens in the houses of 
America, the New York Mets were on their way back to one of the best 
come-back stories in baseball history, have we had a balanced budget or 
surplus in the budget.
  But it is true, this year we are on our way to a budget surplus. So 
how does Washington react? The President goes out and breaks last 
year's budget agreement and calls for $56 billion in new spending. And 
there you go, status quo in Washington.
  Why do we have this balanced budget to begin with? Well, a couple 
things. Number one, we have slowed down the growth of government 
spending. Number two, we have a robust economy. And number three, sadly 
to say, we have put the Social Security surplus in with general 
revenues.
  I believe, as do most Republican Members of Congress, if you want to 
put Social Security first and protect and preserve it, not just for the 
current generation of retirees, but for future generations, that you 
must separate the Social Security surplus and take it off budget and 
put it in a true trust fund with a fire wall from general revenue. I 
believe that is the number one thing this Congress should be doing.

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