[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 15, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BALANCING THE BUDGET

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, this Congress has accomplished something 
that was once considered impossible. When the other party controlled 
this House, some of their Members talked a good game about balancing 
the budget, but when I was elected just 4 years ago, the deficit stood 
at over $200 billion and, according to the Congressional Budget Office, 
was going to get worse, not better.
  We said that we would balance the budget within 7 years by slowing 
the growth in entitlement spending, putting a flexible freeze on 
defense spending and making targeted cuts in domestic discretionary and 
other areas. We eliminated over 300 wasteful and unnecessary Washington 
programs and streamlined countless others.
  Mr. Speaker, on October 1st, we will celebrate the first balanced 
budget in almost 30 years, 4 years ahead of schedule, and we will have 
a large surplus. We did it while keeping our promise to provide tax 
relief for working families.
  Mr. Speaker, what a difference a Republican Congress has made.

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