[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 149 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H11071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS SAYS STOP THE RAID

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, according to the most recent government 
audit, Federal agencies were unable to account for over 800 billion in 
Federal assets. My colleagues heard me right, $800 billion. That would 
have to be a pretty big lost and found for all of that missing stuff, 
but in reality there is no Federal lost and found; and I am betting all 
that property is lost for good, Mr. Speaker.
  That is a disgrace, and what makes it even worse and even more 
disgraceful is that $800 billion, that could have been used to 
strengthen Social Security. While the Federal Government was losing all 
that property, it was raiding the Social Security Trust Fund to keep 
growing the size of government without increase in the accountability 
for how the taxpayers' money was spent.
  Mr. Speaker, the Republican Congress is telling the President and the 
Democrat leadership that it is time to stop the raid, and we are asking 
them to join us in setting aside one penny of every Federal dollar to 
strengthen Social Security for the American people. It is our plan, it 
is fair, and it is responsible, and it is the right thing to do.

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