[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN'S COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PHILIP M. CRANE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 26, 1999

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, last week, Joe Lockhart, the Presidential 
spokesman, made a number of erroneous statements regarding the budget. 
Mr. Lockhart called ``absurd'' the notion that President Clinton has 
finally come around to the Republican way of thinking by not wanting to 
touch the Social Security surplus--yet--the facts state differently.
  The President's original fiscal year-2000 budget asked to spend some 
41 percent of the Social Security surplus.
  The President's State of the Union address specifically stated that 
the President would only commit 60 percent of the surplus for Social 
Security.
  And now, the President tells the bipartisan delegation meeting over 
the budget that he wants to save 100 percent of the surplus. If that 
isn't a turnaround to support the Republican position of ``lock-box,'' 
protecting Social Security, I don't know what is.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record this information and other 
erroneous statements made by Mr. Lockhart last week in his presidential 
press conference, showing how these inaccuracies have attempted to bias 
public information against the real facts.

Rapid Response From the Speaker's Press Office--Wednesday, October 20, 
                                  1999


                    ``Just the Facts, Mr. Lockhart''

       Joe Lockhart says that the idea that President Clinton 
     finally came around to the Congressional Republican's plan of 
     protecting 100 percent of the Social Security surplus is an 
     ``absurd notion.''
       Fact: The President's original budget for FY 2000 spends 41 
     percent of the Social Security surplus. Also, the President 
     specifically proposed in this year's State of the Union to 
     only commit 60 percent of the budget surplus for Social 
     Security. He told the bi-partisan delegation yesterday that 
     he now wants to save 100 percent of the Social Security 
     surplus.
       Joe Lockhart says that CBO says that the Republicans have 
     already spent the Social Security surplus.
       Fact: In a September 30 letter to Speaker Hastert, CBO 
     Director Dan Crippen clearly states that the final GOP budget 
     plan ``will not use any of the projected Social Security 
     surplus.''
       Joe Lockhart says our budget is full of ``gimmicks'' such 
     as using advanced appropriations.
       Fact: The President's own budget used $18.8 billion in 
     advanced appropriations. Furthermore, advanced appropriations 
     simply means that money not spent next year will not be 
     counted towards next year's budget. If the money is not being 
     spent until 2002, it should be counted against the 2002 
     budget, not the 2000 budget. That's just common sense.
       Joe Lockhart says that the Republican budget doesn't make 
     the investments in education that the American people expect.
       Fact: The Republican budget has $300 million more for 
     education than the President's budget. In addition, the 
     Republican budget would let local communities spend this 
     money how they best see fit--including hiring more teachers, 
     if that's what the community needs.

     

                          ____________________