[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14590]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 WITHOUT A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN CONGRESS, THE DEMOCRATS WOULD SPEND 
                           THE BUDGET SURPLUS

  (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 the President proposed a budget with $200 
billion deficits as far as the eye could see only a few short years 
ago. Republicans refused to accept his budget and insisted instead on a 
balanced budget, and the liberals called us the extremists. They called 
us mean-spirited. They accused us of being right wing. It is all so 
familiar.
  But now the President takes credit for what the Republicans worked 
for since 1995, just like welfare reform. No matter, Republicans have 
put America on the road to fiscal responsibility by balancing our books 
and starting to pay down the $5 trillion debt. Now it is time for some 
tax relief, too. Debt reduction and tax relief, that is what the budget 
surplus should go towards.
  Democrats have other ideas: No tax cuts. Those who believe the 
rhetoric about debt reduction are being naive and historically 
mistaken. They will spend the surplus. It will not stay in Washington, 
especially if Republicans are no longer in the majority.

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