[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REPUBLICAN BUDGET OUT OF STEP WITH AMERICA'S NEEDS

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, once again the Republicans are pushing a 
budget plan that is out of step with what the American people want. The 
President's budget calls for using the budget surplus to protect Social 
Security now that times are good. The Republican budget, on the other 
hand, includes yet another stale proposal to spend the surplus on tax 
cuts for the wealthy instead of on Social Security.
  The New York Times recently noted, and I quote, ``Every poll shows 
that Americans would rather preserve Social Security and Medicare than 
enjoy a big new tax cut, as Republican leaders want. It is also 
questionable how much political support there will be for a tax cut 
that disproportionately benefits the wealthiest Americans.''
  The Washington Post made a similar observation of the competing 
budget plans. ``On balance,'' the Post noted, ``the President's budget 
pushes in the right direction, but,'' the Post added, ``the broad 
alternative, which is to consume in the form of a tax cut that ought to 
be saved for Social Security and Medicare and other public purposes, is 
wrong.''
  Let us use the surplus in a manner that will benefit all Americans, 
not just the wealthy. Support the Democrats' plan.

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