[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 124 (Thursday, September 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRESS SHOULD HONOR SOCIAL SECURITY COMMITMENTS ALREADY MADE BEFORE 
                          MAKING NEW PROMISES

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, all year Democrats have been trying to 
save Social Security, and all year Republicans have been trying to raid 
it.
  The proof is in our budgets. The Republican-passed budget did not 
include any provision to protect the surplus for Social Security. The 
Democratic budget provided a rock-solid guarantee. True to form, today 
Republicans are offering $200 billion in tax cuts paid for out of the 
budget surplus.
  Now, I support most of these tax cuts, but the money Republicans are 
using to pay for them belongs to our Nation's seniors and working 
families. They put it there. The surplus would not even exist if it 
were not for the Social Security Trust Fund.
  The conservative action would be not to spend what we do not have in 
the bank. We should take care of the commitment and the contract we 
already made with our seniors in Social Security before we pay for new 
promises using their money.
  It is easy to go out and tell seniors you are on their side. That 
vote will prove who really is and who really is not. And, believe me, 
the voters are watching.

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