[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 124 (Thursday, September 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY FIRST

  (Ms. STABENOW asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues to ask the 
House leadership to save Social Security first.
  I was proud to support the balanced budget agreement last year, proud 
to support a $95 billion tax cut that was paid for within the balanced 
budget agreement. We now have what are being called surpluses, and I 
join with my colleagues that say we do not have a true surplus until we 
have protected Social Security and stopped using the Social Security 
Trust Fund to balance the budget.
  This is about our current seniors, it is about my mother, it is about 
our children, it is about our grandchildren.
  I like the tax proposals that are being talked about in committee. I 
would like to be able to support another round of tax cuts. But we 
cannot jeopardize our future and Social Security by doing this.
  Pay for Social Security first, protect Social Security first, and 
then begin the next round of tax cuts. That is what is the most 
responsible approach, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to be responsible and to make sure that before the next steps are 
taken to spend surpluses that we save Social Security first.

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