[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H1025-H1026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SAVING SOCIAL SECURITY: THE PROGRESS CONTINUES

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1

[[Page H1026]]

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, even though our economy is doing well and 
expansion is continuing, each of us wants to be certain that when it 
comes time for our retirement Social Security will be there for us. Our 
current senior citizens need this assurance, the baby boomer generation 
needs this assurance, and our young people need this assurance.
  Cynicism runs deep, as illustrated by the fact that today's young 
people believe that it is more likely that they will spot a UFO than 
that they will collect Social Security when their time comes. That is 
why Republicans are showing true leadership by securing 100 percent of 
the Social Security Trust Fund for exactly that: saving Social 
Security. We are committed to strengthening Social Security for years 
to come.
  It is important to note that in the 40 years when the Democrats had 
control of the House, they took hundreds of billions of dollars from 
Social Security and spent it on other Federal programs. When 
Republicans took control in 1994, this ended. We balanced the Federal 
budget, brought about badly needed discipline in our spending 
activities. So today we must continue, forge a budget agreement that 
saves and strengthens Social Security. The progress continues.

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