[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 25663]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  REPUBLICANS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT BUT STILL NEED PRESIDENT'S HELP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, last week President Clinton in his press 
conference attacked the Republican Senators for their courageous stance 
against a poorly designed nuclear test ban treaty, a test ban treaty 
that was unverifiable. A lot of the nations had not signed it yet, and 
a lot of rogue nations never intend to comply with it. But, more 
importantly, during that press conference he posed a question, ``What 
will happen if the Republicans stay in office?'' I am here on the floor 
this morning, and I feel compelled to answer his question.
  Mr. Speaker, let me remind the President of some of the past 
accomplishments of the Republican Party here in Congress, which unlike 
the ill-advised test ban treaty are actually good for America. If we 
can be judged by our past, a lot of good things for America will occur 
in the future if we stay in power. Let me just take a few moments to 
talk about what we have accomplished.
  One of the first orders of business when we took over here in 
Congress was to declare that Congress would comply with all the laws 
and statutes which all Americans also have to comply with. We reduced 
the bloated size of committee staff here in Congress by one-third and 
added to that a ban on gifts from special interests here in Congress.
  We reformed the bloated inefficient welfare system, which held 
captive many Americans who only wanted a better life for themselves and 
their families. We provided welfare-to-work incentives for both 
individuals and businesses. And the Republican-led Congress has 
succeeded in dropping the welfare rolls to the lowest level in history.
  The majority here passed health insurance portability, guaranteeing 
working Americans that if they switched jobs or if they lost their job 
they could continue with their current health coverage.
  We reformed the Food and Drug Administration, giving people quicker 
access to life-saving drugs and medical devices and provided for better 
food quality.
  The Republican controlled Congress got tough on criminals by 
enhancing penalties for sexual crimes against children, and established 
a Nationwide tracking system for sexual predators. We also enhanced 
punishment for drug-induced rape.
  Education was enhanced by giving local districts more say in how the 
money that they had was spent on teaching their children.
  We also provided tax relief and allowed for health insurance 
deductions for small businesses.
  We developed medical savings accounts so Americans can better decide 
how to provide for their health care. We also protected elderly 
patients from being evicted from nursing homes.
  The Republican majority strengthened our national defense by 
increasing pay and retirement benefits, long overdue for our military; 
enhancing health care for veterans; and providing for a military which 
this administration has grossly underfunded and, I believe, forsaken.
  Let us not forget the budget. The Republicans passed the Balanced 
Budget Act and bound our appropriations bills to spending caps. Now, 
this is the first time in 30 years that this was done. The 
Congressional Budget Office last week released its monthly budget 
review and the Federal Government's on-budget accounts, which excludes 
Social Security, are running a $1 billion surplus for the year. Again, 
Mr. Speaker this, is the first time in 30 years. The majority party in 
Congress are to be commended.
  Now, this is probably not new to the average American family, who 
also has to balance their budget and make their payments without going 
into deficits every year.
  It is interesting that when President Clinton pushed the largest tax 
increase in history and passed that on to the American public, 
incidently he got it passed here very narrowly, that same year he could 
not balance the budget when the Democrats were in control in Congress. 
The Republican majority passed a lockbox measure, which declared $1.8 
trillion of the Social Security surplus untouchable. But what is 
amazing is that the President refused to join with us in this budget 
process to protect this lockbox. He is proposing brand new spending at 
the same time we are trying to balance the budget and protect Social 
Security.
  Now, the Democrats, when they were in control, when they were in 
control, spent $837 billion of the Social Security money for new 
spending programs. Now they claim they want to save it. I remind my 
colleagues we have to remember when the Democrats were in control they 
spent all the Social Security surplus. In fact, the last year they 
controlled Congress they spent over $130 billion from the Social 
Security Trust Fund.
  We are trying to do a great deal around here. We need the help of the 
President. We have stood for much needed legislation on welfare reform, 
better health care, better education, tougher criminal penalties, tax 
relief, a stronger defense, a balanced budget, and, lastly, Social 
Security protection for our seniors. So I believe, contrary to what the 
President said in the press conference, the Republicans have done an 
excellent job for Americans in trying to save this republic and bring 
accountability. I need to remind the President that great things will 
occur for the American people if Republicans stay in office.
  And in the future, I think we can look for great things for all 
America, but I remind the President that we need his help too.

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