[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 144 (Thursday, October 21, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H10617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS

  (Mr. GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle leave everything until the last minute. Sometimes I wonder if 
this Congress could not mess up a one-car funeral.
  According to the Congressional Budget Office, they are dipping into 
the Social Security budget to the tune of $13 billion while spending 
thousands of dollars on false and misleading ads. Before the 
appropriations bills are finished, that $13 billion cut into Social 
Security could rise to $24 billion.
  Social Security is one of the most successful domestic programs ever 
created. It guarantees a retirement security for millions of Americans. 
It is our responsibility to take the necessary steps to keep Social 
Security safe and strong, not only for our parents' generation, and not 
only for our generation, but also for our children's generation.
  Where is their plan to extend the life of Social Security? It does 
not exist. In fact, the leaders in the Republican conference have been 
quoted many times against Social Security and Medicare, like this one 
from my colleague from Texas that says, ``No, I'm not going to make 
such a pledge, not to get into Social Security.''
  In fact, the Republican tax plan would have sucked the surplus dry, 
leaving nothing for strengthening the Social Security Trust Fund, 
extending Medicare, or even a prescription medication provision.

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