[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H17]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

  (Mr. SMITH of Michigan asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include 
therein extraneous material.)
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I wrote an open letter to the 
President which I would review at this time.
  ``I urge you to submit a budget in February that recognizes and 
addresses the rapid increases in deficit spending. The need to raise 
the debt ceiling within the next few weeks and the new CBO projections 
showing budget deficits in 2002 and 2003 underline the challenges we 
face.
  ``While the weak economy has played a substantial part, overspending 
is the primary cause of the current problem. When the last budget 
limitation agreement was reached in 1997, the Congressional Budget 
Office projected Federal revenues of $1.408 trillion for 2002 for a 
balanced budget. The actual figure was $1.893 trillion, or 41 percent 
more than was projected.''
  So revenues are higher than expected.
  ``Unfortunately, spending grew even more--to $2.003 trillion--
enormously beyond the 1998 projections.
  ``We need to take a more serious'' role and I would insert the letter 
in the Record.

                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, January 22, 2002.
     Hon. George W. Bush,
     President of the United States, The White House, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. President: I urge you to submit a budget in 
     February that recognizes and addresses the rapid increase in 
     deficit spending. The need to raise the debt ceiling within 
     the next few weeks and new CBO projections showing budget 
     deficits in FY 2002 and FY 2003 underline the challenges we 
     face.
       While the weak economy has played a substantial part, 
     overspending is the primary cause of the current problem. 
     When the last budget limitation agreement was reached in 
     1997, the Congressional Budget Office projected federal 
     revenues of $1.408 trillion for FY 2002 for a balanced 
     budget. The actual figure was $1.983 trillion, or 41% more 
     than was projected. Unfortunately, spending grew even more--
     to $2.003 trillion--enormously beyond our 1998 projections.
       We need to take a more serious look at how we can 
     prioritize spending in the FY 2003 budget, and make hard 
     choices about which programs can be trimmed or eliminated. If 
     we do not make decisions to restrain spending now, I am 
     concerned that projected deficits will continue to grow to 
     the great detriment of future generations of Americans.
       I respectfully suggest that your leadership is necessary if 
     we are to prioritize spending and thus limit deficit 
     spending.
                                                       Nick Smith,
     Member of Congress.

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