[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H3532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PAYING DOWN THE DEBT

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, in 1981, while the Nation celebrated the 
200th anniversary of the British surrender at Yorktown, President 
Reagan joked that ``our enemy is no longer Red Coats, but red ink.''
  For 40 long years, this country sank deeper and deeper into debt. 
Congress seemed addicted to spending money on every project imaginable. 
But never during the 8 years of Reagan's presidency did the Congress 
ever send him a balanced budget, not once.
  Never during the Carter, Ford, or Nixon administrations did the 
Democratic Congress ever send the President a balanced budget, nor 
during the Bush administration.
  The same was true the first 2 years that President Clinton enjoyed 
one-party rule in this town, no balanced budget.
  The Constitution clearly states that only Congress can appropriate 
money for spending. Within 3 years of taking over Congress, the 
Republicans not only balanced the budget but also began paying down the 
debt.
  For decades, the other side had the chance to balance the budget but 
never did. The Republican Congress did it, and now we are reaping the 
rewards.

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