[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 26460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



REPUBLICANS ONLY NEED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR FOR WHO IS SPENDING SOCIAL 
                            SECURITY SURPLUS

  (Ms. RIVERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. RIVERS. Mr. Speaker, let us think about what we have been hearing 
this morning about attempts to spend Social Security.
  First my colleagues on the other side say the President is trying to 
do it. But, of course, the facts are he cannot appropriate a dime, he 
does not have the ability. Only Congress, in fact, only the majority 
can do that.
  Well, then they say it is the Democrats in Congress who are trying to 
spend the Social Security surplus. What are the facts? The minority 
cannot spend money on its own. Most appropriation bills are leaving the 
House passed with overwhelmingly Republican support.
  Democrats cannot spend any money on their own. Well, say the 
Republicans, somebody is spending Social Security. Well, of course 
somebody is, and the Congressional Budget Office says it is the 
Republicans who are doing it. And of course the Congressional Budget 
Office is led by a Republican.
  So if the Republicans are committed to finding out who is spending 
the Social Security surplus, I can tell them where to look. In the 
mirror.




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