[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 21, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SECRET PLAN FOR INCREASE IN DEFICIT SPENDING

  (Mr. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, rumor has it that the Republican leadership 
has a secret plan to allow an increase in deficit spending by $750 
billion without even requiring a vote on it in the House. To do so 
would be wrong, and for several reasons.
  First, we have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren to 
try to balance our budget and not break their backs with the burden of 
an ever-increasing national debt, which is already $6 trillion, the 
interest on which cost taxpayers last year alone $360 billion in taxes 
paid.
  Second, deficit spending puts at risk Social Security and Medicare. 
We have a responsibility to our seniors to protect these 2 vital 
programs, but $750 billion in deficit spending would certainly 
undermine them.
  I can understand why the Republican leadership would want to allow an 
enormous increase in deficit spending in secret and without a public 
vote, but to do so would be wrong; wrong for our children, wrong for 
our seniors, and wrong for Americans who believe in an open democracy.

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