[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27855]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  SENIORS DISAPPOINTED WITH FAILURE TO SOLVE SOCIAL SECURITY SOLVENCY 
                        BEFORE CLOSE OF CONGRESS

  (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, think how 
disappointed the American public must be as they see the Congress 
coming to a close in the next couple of weeks and how it has failed to 
address the problems of Social Security, to extend the solvency of 
Social Security, to deal with the fundamental reforms that are 
necessary so that Social Security will be there for us, for our 
children and our grandchildren; and then to find out, not only have 
they failed to extend the solvency of Social Security, but the 
Republicans have made a conscience decision to dip into the trust 
funds.
  As we were told at the end of last week by the Congressional Budget 
Office, some $17 billion has been taken out of the Social Security 
Trust Funds to finance the gimmicks that the Republicans have put 
together to try and pass the budget, a budget that has yet to pass.
  Think of the disappointment of the American public when they learn 
this most fundamental program, this most important program to the 
retirees of our Nation has been given this kind of treatment during 
this session as the Republicans get ready to leave this town and to end 
this Congress. Not only have they spent the Social Security Trust Fund, 
but they have also failed to deal with prescription drug benefits and 
with the minimum wage.

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