[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 148 (Friday, October 16, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H11026-H11027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BUDGET BATTLE

  (Mr. HEFLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, the current budget battle in Washington 
shows clearly how conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats 
disagree about the role of government.
  Republicans think that the Federal Government is too big. Democrats 
think that it is not big enough.
  Republicans have been pushing for tax cuts. The liberals are 
horrified at

[[Page H11027]]

the very idea and call, as the previous speaker just did, tax cuts 
giveaways.
  Republicans are insisting that we begin to reverse the dangerous 
decline in our military preparedness. Democrats have been fighting for 
even less defense.
  Republicans blocked a White House attempt to impose national 
standardized tests in elementary schools. Democrats urged the creation 
of a national gun registry in their latest effort to weaken second 
amendment rights.
  Republicans stopped the President's big government initiative to 
create a new handout, free needles for drug addicts. Democrats tried to 
create a national identity card. Republicans stopped that, too.
  Bigger government versus smaller government and more freedom, that is 
what is at stake. That is what this budget battle has been about over 
these last few weeks.

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