[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 22351]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, our economy is good, interest rates are 
low and we have a record budget surplus. Due to the sound fiscal 
policies of Republicans, we have been able to pay off $354 billion in 
public debt and will completely eliminate it by 2012.
  That is why Republicans are committed to using 90 percent of the next 
year's Federal budget surplus to pay off the national debt while 
protecting the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. That leaves us 
with 10 percent of the surplus to boost our already substantial $600 
billion commitment to our national priorities such as education, 
defense and health research.
  Specifically, we will use half the money to strengthen education with 
the flexibility, funding and support to give our children the world's 
best schools. In addition, we will provide a prescription drug benefit 
to seniors in need now, not 5 or 10 years from now.
  Republicans have made education funding a top priority, providing 
more money than ever before. And most importantly, we have cut the 
checks with fewer strings being attached. Currently, Washington 
provides 7 percent of the Nation's education funding but provides 40 
percent of the regulations. We have made a real dent in removing some 
of these onerous, bureaucratic regulations. By eliminating our national 
debt, we will secure America's future for our children and 
grandchildren.

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