[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27067]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



REPUBLICANS WANT TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE 100 PERCENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, there are two prevailing issues or schools 
of thought on what to do about Social Security surpluses. The 
Republican Party wants to protect and preserve 100 percent of it. But 
do not take my word for it as a Republican, let me quote to my 
colleagues what John Podesta, the White House Chief of Staff says. 
``The Republicans' key goal is to not spend the Social Security 
surplus.'' Again, words spoken by the White House Chief of Staff John 
Podesta, Clinton's right-hand man.
  Now, the Democrats, on the other hand, led by the President, last 
January, wanted to spend 38 percent of it. The President stood right 
behind where I am now and said, ``Let us preserve 62 percent of Social 
Security but spend the rest on other programs.''
  Now, as of late he has come around to say, well, maybe we should not 
do that. But this is what the Democrat leader, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), said this Sunday. And I will just put these 
words here, and again it is a direct quote. That, ``since we have the 
surplus, we have to get ready for baby boomers, and we should spend as 
little of it as possible.''
  Now, join us, please. I ask the Democrats, protect 100 percent of 
Social Security, not just most of it. The way to do it is if we cut one 
penny out of every dollar in the budget, we can protect and preserve 
Social Security. A penny saved is a retirement earned and secured for 
our seniors.

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