[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 130 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1996]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               EXPRESSION OF DESIRE: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MAX SANDLIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 1999

  Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, today the Republicans continue their 
budgetary charade in an attempt to fool the American people into 
believing that they intend to save the Social Security surplus when 
they have already begun spending it. Their latest tactic has manifested 
itself in the form of a resolution ``Expressing the Desire of the House 
Not to Spend any of the Social Security Budget Surplus and to Continue 
to Retire the Debt of the Public.''
  The truth is, this ``expression of desire'' is too little, too late. 
If Republicans truly believed their empty promises; if they truly 
intended to practice what they preach; they wouldn't be on the way to 
spending $27 billion of the Social Security surplus they desire to 
protect. The Congressional Budget Office reports that, by late summer, 
the Republican majority had already committed the entire $14.4 billion 
non-Social Security surplus, going so far as to end up with a budget 
deficit of $16 billion. As this deficit grows, the Social Security 
surplus shrinks.
  There is an inverse relationship here, but my Republican friends on 
the other side of the aisle seem content with ignoring this fiscal 
reality and reverting to the dream world which brought us the $800 
billion tax cut package. In light of these numbers, it would surprise 
anyone that there would be any money left over for massive tax cuts; 
yet the Republicans decided to spend their entire political collateral 
on spending these fictional funds while the debt continues to grow and 
the Social Security surplus continues to shrink. They spent all their 
time and energy on trying to pass this reckless tax cut package while 
the business of the people was completely neglected. These 
irresponsible actions have left us in the unnecessary, otherwise-
avoidable position of having to vote for a Continuing Resolution yet 
again to keep the government funded because the Republicans didn't 
fulfill their fiscal duty to the American people.
  Now that the tax cut has been rightfully vetoed by the President and 
the American people have voiced their opposition to spending money that 
doesn't exist, the Republican leadership decides to ``Express Their 
Desire . . . Not to Spend any of the Social Security Surplus.'' They 
designate funding for a census that is mandated to occur every ten 
years as emergency spending, thus committing themselves to dipping into 
Social Security, and they continue their balance sheet gimmicks, 
thinking they'll get away with these tactics under the guise of false 
fiscal responsibility by passing today's resolution.
   Mr. Speaker, I intend to vote for this resolution because I believe 
in it and because I believe my actions up to this point are a 
reflection of my commitment to saving Social Security and paying down 
the debt. I cannot, however, cast this vote on the resolution in 
question without identifying it as what it is: yet another Republican 
budget gimmick.

                          ____________________