[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 34 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PRESIDENTIAL BUDGET FAILS STRAIGHT FACE TEST

  (Mr. SCHAFFER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, the President's budget is fraudulent. That 
seems to be the devastating verdict of the nonpartisan Congressional 
Budget Office. CBO took a look at the President's budget and they were 
appalled at what they saw. Double counting, slick accounting, 
arithmetic gymnastics, things like this have not been seen since the 
advent of rain forest math and faddish politically correct schools.
  Social Security is not saved. In fact, Social Security would remain 
insolvent despite the figures the President's budget says looks good on 
paper. And spending busts the spending caps that Congress worked so 
hard to pass only 2 short years ago. Spending goes up, way up. And so 
the security of Social Security goes down, way down.
  One would think that the White House would avoid this kind of slick 
accounting. Double counting of imaginary money is guaranteed to get 
them in trouble with the CBO and all other budget analysts and 
economists. Congress is eager, though, to work with the President to 
stick with our historic balanced budget agreement. But the President's 
budget just does not pass the straight face test. Mr. Speaker, we need 
to go back to work.

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