[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2245
                           THE NATIONAL DEBT

  (Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COSTA. I think it's important that when we're talking about the 
debt, that we be up front with the facts for the American public. Yes, 
the war has certainly cost a great deal, but it's off budget. It's off 
budget, just like a host of items that are off budget, specifically 
designed in that way.
  The largest single segment on the debt is the interest on the debt, 
which is 6 percent and growing rapidly. And it's true that we've 
acquired more debt in the last 42 years than the previous 41 Presidents 
than this President has accomplished in his last 6 years.
  So I think it's important that we be up front with the American 
people when we're talking about the debt and the figures that are 
involved there.
  Yes, we've got to turn this ship around. It won't come overnight, but 
it will come with the bipartisan cooperation that I think we saw took 
place with President Clinton's administration, and that's what we ought 
to be doing.

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