[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21762]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     PAYING DOWN THE DEBT IS THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, we have an historic opportunity to do what 
is right for America. We have an opportunity to make a real commitment 
to paying down our $5.6 trillion public debt by committing 90 percent 
of our budget surplus to debt reduction.
  Republicans are committed to paying down the national debt, to 
protecting the economy, and the economic prosperity of future 
generations of Americans.
  The Clinton-Gore administration, on the other hand, have other 
priorities. They want to spend the surplus on more big government 
programs. Mr. Speaker, I learned in Economics 101 that this is 
irresponsible to spend money when we are in debt, especially when we 
have a $5.6 trillion debt.
  So I rise today to urge the administration to put their partisan and 
irresponsible agenda aside and join with this Republican Congress in 
committing 90 percent of the surplus to paying down our national debt.
  Join with us to do the right thing for all Americans today and for 
generations to come.

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