[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRESS IS WAITING FOR THE PRESIDENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY PROPOSAL

  (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 has been talking about the 
need to save social security for a number of weeks now, but the talk 
has not advanced beyond general talking points and rough outlines. That 
is fine for television and for public relations, but Congress needs a 
proposal.
  We have heard over and over again that the White House is ready to 
work with Congress in a bipartisan manner to reform social security, 
but we are waiting. We have not seen any legislation or even a sign of 
legislation coming.
  Rhetoric is great, but now is the time to get to work. Congress has 
even set aside an honored spot for the President's social security 
bill, H.R. 1. Congress will immediately get to work on this bill as 
soon as it arrives.
  It is time for the President to answer some questions about his 
social security proposal, particularly questions about the double-
counting of imaginary money that it contains, double-counting that adds 
up to more than $2 trillion. H.R. 1 is a starting point. Now let us get 
started.

                          ____________________