[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 8 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING

  (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, keeping the American people safe is our 
government's most important duty. We are spending billions of dollars 
to fight terrorism and to keep the homeland secure. In addition, the 
recession has cost the government billions more in lost revenue. These 
things are unavoidable. And it looks like, after passing four balanced 
budgets in a row, the first time in 40 years, that we will again run a 
budget deficit this next year.
  But even with all of this necessary spending, we should put plans in 
place now to return to a balanced budget as soon as we can. We have 
worked too hard to start paying off the debt to give up now.
  In his State of the Union Address, President Bush urged us to limit 
spending so we can return to surpluses in a year or 2.
  So let us fully fund the war on terrorism, let us make sure our 
airports and power plants are secure, and if the other body ever passes 
the stimulus package, let us make it law right away. But when it comes 
to other things, we need to tighten our belt and rein in spending. That 
is the only way we will stay on track and pay off the public debt. We 
have paid down over half a trillion dollars in debt already. Let us pay 
off the rest as soon as we can.

                          ____________________