[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE SURPLUS BELONGS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I rise in response to the eloquent words 
of my Democratic colleague to say that yes, we too want very much to 
put Social Security and Medicare first. In fact, the chairman of our 
Committee on Ways and Means, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer), has 
made it clear that he shares the goal of seeing that 62 percent figure, 
which the President called for in his State of the Union message, to 
shore up and ensure the strength of Social Security. At the same time, 
we have an overcharge, and the American people deserve a rebate.
  Neither the administration nor Republicans in the Congress 
anticipated the tremendous flow of revenues that have come into the 
Federal Treasury as a by-product of the tremendous economic growth 
which has taken place because of the policies of this Congress and, 
yes, in working with the President.
  But the fact is, the money belongs to the American people and we 
should do everything that we possibly can to ensure that that 
overcharge is in fact rebated. But we do share that priority of 
strengthening Social Security and Medicare, ensuring that we improve 
public education, strengthening our national defense capability, and, 
of course, reducing that tax burden on working families.

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