[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DEBT REDUCTION LEGISLATION

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                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 1999

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to re-introduce legislation I 
have sponsored the previous three Congresses to help reduce the deficit 
and the debt. I urge my colleagues to join me and cosponsor my bill.
  Since my arrival in Washington, I have worked to reduce the deficit 
and reduce our nation's debt burden. This legislation takes another 
step in that direction by sending our unused office budget funds to the 
U.S. Treasury for deficit and debt reduction. Today, after several 
years of fiscal discipline, the federal government is currently ``in 
the black'' and running surpluses for the first time in 30 years. But 
we still have a national debt of more than $5.4 Trillion.
  This simple but important step will go a long way to show the 
American people that we are serious about debt reduction and that we 
are willing to put our money where our mouth is. Alone, this 
legislation won't eliminate the debt. But combined with our other 
efforts to reduce budgets, limit spending and run the government more 
efficiently, we can eliminate the national debt too.
  Specifically, my legislation requires that any unused portions of our 
Members' Representational Allowances are to be deposited into the 
Treasury for either deficit reduction or to reduce the Federal debt. 
The bill also requires the Appropriations Committee to report in its 
annual legislative branch appropriations bill a list of the amount that 
each Member deposited into the Treasury.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to return our unused 
office funds to the U.S. Treasury for deficit or debt reduction.

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