November 15, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 2189 real stakes in this year’s budget debate: Is Medicare is financed in part by a payroll tax The Veterans' Administration is unable to the United States, for the first time since that in 1937 was 2% on incomes up to $3,000. issue benefit payments for December 1, 1995. the 1920s, going to rein in the federal govern- Today it is 15.3% on $62,600 of income. How Individuals cannot receive passports. ment, or not? This is the heart of the matter. high does Mr. Clinton want the payroll tax Federal Home Administration cannot make The rest is political fog. to go if he doesn’t want to accept Republican Republicans are close to putting on Mr. reforms? And by the way, where are the housing loans. Clinton’s desk a bill that does more or less budget scolds (Warren Rudman, Pete Peter- National parks and the Smithsonian Institu- what they promised to do last November. son. David Broder) who’ve griped for years tion are closed. For the first time in decades, Congress would that politicians lack the courage to tackle In Houston, 2,200 Federal employees at actually cut some spending. A few parts of middle-class entitlements? When Repub- Johnson Space Center have been furloughed. Leviathan would even go out of business. licans finally do it, they temporize. The House considered another continuing The tax burden would ease. Welfare policy These are the real stakes in this budget de- resolution today that eliminates some of the would be opened up to 50 state experiments. bate. They have been obscured by a president extraneous provisions such as the increase in And so on. who wants to change the subject. And by a Medicare part B premiums that caused the Readers of these columns know we’ve criti- media class which decries political ‘‘bicker- cized some parts of this GOP budget. We ing’’ while ignoring the substance of the de- President to veto the second continuing reso- wish it cut more spending, especially on pet bate. The shouting is so loud inside Washing- lution. I still have some concerns about this Congressional fiefs, and that it cut taxes in ton this year precisely because this is the new continuing resolution because of some of a way that better promoted economic first budget in years that is not business as the assumptions used in drafting the bill. It re- growth. We wish a lot of things, But if this usual. Mr. President, it’s time to choose. mains to be seen whether President Clinton effort fails, the alternative isn’t a better f will veto this resolution. budget. The alternative is a victory for the The ironic aspect of this shutdown is that Beltway status quo. That’s why this budget 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF TEMPLE the Federal Government is not saving any fight really is a seminal moment in Amer- ISRAEL ican politics. money. When a budget impasse occurred in Precisely because Bill Clinton knows this, 1990 and the Government shutdown over the he wants to delay or obfuscate the real HON. SUE MYRICK Columbus Day weekend, it cost $1.6 million. choice. They very last thing he wants is to OF NORTH CAROLINA According to White House Budget Director have to decide whether to sign or veto this IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Alice Rivlin, the Government incurs expenses budget. For months, ever since Dick Morris to secure vacant Federal buildings, pay pen- came back as his strategist, Mr. Clinton has Wednesday, November 15, 1995 alties on contracts that cannot be honored and had it both ways. He claims to be for all of Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I insert the fol- the things the public wants—tax cuts, a bal- expenses to reimburse furloughed Federal anced budget, welfare reform—but he hasn’t lowing for the RECORD: employees since those employees that are had to do anything to prove it. In the United States House of Representa- usually paid for the time away from the office. Meanwhile, his left wing has come down on tives November 18, 1995. I would like to remind my colleagues that him with a wrath usually reserved for Re- Whereas Temple Israel in Charlotte, North Americans are closely watching these delib- publicans. Marian Wright Edelman, Hillary Carolina is celebrating its 100th Anniversary; erations. A USA Today/CNN? gallup poll taken and Clinton’s mentor and mother superior of the yesterday indicated that 49 percent of those welfare state, wrote an open letter all but Whereas Temple Israel is the oldest and accusing Mr. Clinton of child abuse for en- largest Conservative congregation in the individuals survey blame the Republican lead- dorsing a welfare bill that got 35 Democratic Carolinas; existing to strengthen Judaism ership for the shutdown. votes in the Senate. through worship, study, celebration and the Moreover, 61 percent of those individuals So Mr. Clinton has, for now, dropped his promotion of human well-being; and are angry about the impasse. Forty-nine per- compromise budget zig and adopted an oppo- Whereas Temple Israel has been an inte- cent prefer the Democratic Party's approach to sition zag. His advisers are openly bragging gral part of the Jewish community in Char- reducing the Federal deficit and maintaining that this will help him on the ‘‘character’’ lotte and surrounding areas, and has given critical Federal programs. Finally, 48 percent her congregants a warm environment in issue. If he vetoes the budget, he’ll lose his of the respondents approve of the President's reputation for flip-flopping! At least, we sup- which to expand their mines, hearts, and pose, until the Dec. 15 filing deadline for the souls; and handling of the budget negotiations whereas New Hampshire primary, after which the left Now, Therefore I, Sue Myrick, Member of only 22 percent of the respondents agree with won’t be able to field a challenger against Congress for North Carolina’s 9th District of the manner in which the Speaker of the House him. Congress, do honor the congregation and of has handled the negotiations. Which brings us back to the real issue of the Temple Israel as it celebrates 100 years Therefore, we must end the political postur- reining in government. On this score the of spiritual growth; and heartily congratu- ing and end the disruption of the lives of mil- GOP budget is hardly radical. Over seven late the entire synagogue family. Best wish- lions of Americans. Another issue is the im- es for continued success, health and happi- years, it would shrink federal spending’s pending default by the Federal Government on share of the economy only slightly—to 18.5% ness; and of GDP in fiscal 2002, from 21.7% in 1995, says In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my its debt obligations. A major interest payment the Congressional Budget Office. Total fed- hand this Seventeenth day of November, on the Federal debt is due today. We like to eral spending would continue to rise. Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Five. boast that we are a superpower and that the We repeat: Total spending would rise—to f world should look to us for leadership. We are $1.844 trillion in 2002 from $1.530 trillion. a poor example for the rest of the world if we Tax revenues would climb even faster—to OUTRAGE OVER CONTINUING allow the Federal Government to be in default. $1.853 trillion from $1.355 trillion in 1995. As RESOLUTION This is unacceptable to the American people. a share of the economy, taxes would fall only slightly—to 18.6% of GDP in 2002 from 19.3% It should be unacceptable to every Member of this year. Taxation’s share of GDP has HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE the House of Representatives. We must pass stayed remarkably near 19% for 20 years OF TEXAS legislation to extend the debt ceiling without now, so this is no great change either. Con- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES delay. And we should pass a streamlined con- gress is merely bringing its spending into tinuing resolution to get America working Wednesday, November 15, 1995 line with the maximum tax burden Ameri- again. cans seem willing to pay. Ms. JACKSON-LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise f It’s hard to know what Mr. Clinton means today to express my outrage over the continu- whey he says this budget is ‘‘extreme.’’ Does MONTEREY BAY AND LANGUAGE he want Congress to spend $1.9 trillion a ing resolution shutdown of the Federal Gov- year, or $2 trillion, or what? How much is ernment and the furlough of 800,000 Federal LEARNING enough? employees nationwide. No American is being The president has been most shameless on left unaffected. The House leadership is hold- HON. SAM FARR Medicare and Medicaid, which are growing ing the American people hostage to a radical OF CALIFORNIA by 10% a year. Under current law these and philosophy that has little credibility. Some of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES other entitlements plus interest are growing the services that all Americans depend upon so fast they will consume all federal tax rev- are now unavailable. An example of these Wednesday, November 15, 1995 enues by 2012. Every dime. There’ll be noth- ing left for defense or education or anything services include the following: Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, on November 1, else Mr. Clinton claims to value. The Social Security Administration can no 1995, I had the honor of introducing a resolu- The logic of Mr. Clinton’s demagoguery is longer accept any new applications for bene- tion heralding the Monterey Language Capital that taxes will have to go up, sooner or later. fits. of the World initiative. E 2190 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 15, 1995 H. Res. 266 commends the Monterey Bay lum that includes the only master's degree in PARTIAL SHUTDOWN OF public-private partnership for its recognition of translation and interpretation in the Western GOVERNMENT the unique language resources that are lo- Hemisphere. It was established in 1955 to cated in the 17th Congressional District and its teach modern languages in their cultural con- HON. DOUG BEREUTER strong commitment to promoting language di- text. The programs at the MIIS are designed OF NEBRASKA versity. to develop bilingual professionals, integrating IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Monterey is directly involved with 25 percent advanced foreign language education into pro- of the Nation's postsecondary learning in lan- Wednesday, November 15, 1995 fessional programs in business, public admin- guages other than English. What Research istration and policy studies. Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member Triangle Park is to applied academics, what highly commends to his colleagues this edi- Silicon Valley is to high technology, Monterey California State University at Monterey Bay torial which appeared in the Omaha World- Bay will be to language learning. will house the new Center for Intensive Lan- Herald on Nov. 15, 1995. California's central coast has a rich heritage guage and Culture and an Institute of Collabo- [From the Omaha World-Herald, Nov. 15, of professional language resources, including: rative Human Services that will provide non- 1995] the Defense Language Institute, the U.S. emergency telephone help, like 911, for non- PARTIAL SHUTDOWN OF GOVERNMENT RESULT Naval Postgraduate School, the AT&T Lan- English speakers. OF DEMOCRATIC SCARE TACTICS guage Line Services, the Monterey Institute of Government workers and the public were International Studies, California State Univer- Working with the AT&T Language Line Services for simultaneous translation, CSUMB, plunged into unnecessary inconvenience by a sity at Monterey Bay, the University of Califor- partial government shutdown Tuesday. The nia at Santa Cruz, Monterey Peninsula Col- which just opened this fall, will expand its reason: President Clinton put politics ahead lege, CTB McGraw-Hill, and American Global basic language programs for teaching stu- of the public. Studies Institute. dents enrolled overseas. It is these types of Clinton vetoed a stopgap spending bill that One of my earliest initiatives after being innovative, collaborative partnerships that rein- would have temporarily kept the museums elected in 1993 was to convene a higher edu- force Monterey's foundation as the language open, the passport office functioning and the cation summit in the district. The partici- capital of the world. national parks in full operation. The ‘‘con- pantsÐCSUMB, USSC, Monterey Peninsula tinuing resolution’’ that would let the gov- Monterey Peninsula College offers eight for- ernment go on spending was needed because College, MIISÐall agreed to hammer out a eign languages, a significant number for a 2- the White House and Congress haven’t passed language memorandum of understanding a final budget for the fiscal year that began whereby the educational institutions agreed to year community college, including Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Russian. It Oct. 1. share resources in language training. The president had been saying for days In order to make the Defense Language In- is committed to maintaining a strong language that he couldn’t sign the stopgap spending stitute a participant in the Language MOU, I department with emphasis on Pacific rim lan- bill because it contained an increase in the secured passage of a provision in the fiscal guages, in keeping with international economic monthly premium paid by retirees for Medi- year 1994 defense bill which allows civilians to trends for business and commerce. care. Then, as Republican Sen. Pete Domen- ici offered a compromise on the Medicare attend the DLI. With a faculty of 900 and a What is unique about this public-private ini- student body of 3,000, DLI is the largest lan- premium issue, Clinton added that he also tiative is that all the language resources inter- objected to decreases in some other spending guage training institution in the world. It has face with each other to create a seamless lan- programs, including his pet, Ameri-Corps. Of been located in Monterey since 1946, and guage web. For example, graduates of the the Medicare change, he said that the price teaches foreign languages to other Federal MIIS work at the AT&T Language Line and at of signing the bill was too high ‘‘if America agencies like the FBI, NASA, and the DEA. must close down access to . . . affordable For instance, when an American astronaut the DLI. CSUMB will enjoy employ faculty health care for our seniors.’’ participates in a joint United States-Russian from the DLI and MIIS to teach language Of course the legislation would do nothing space mission, he has been trained in Rus- classes. Some NPGS students may be as- of the kind. Clinton’s words were a reflection sian at the DLA so that he can talk to his mis- signed to the DLI for specific language training of a cynical and deceptive campaign that sion counterpart. classes. Democrats are waging. They try to scare re- The U.S. Naval Postgraduate School pro- tirees by saying that the Republicans are out Moreover, there are very sound economic to eliminate Social Security and Medicare. vides professional, service-oriented edu- reasons to promote language diversity, par- This cruel Democratic distortion deserves cational programs for the U.S. Armed Forces ticularly as they relate to the travel and tour- strong condemnation. In addition, as Repub- and foreign militaries, and has played host to ism industry, the Nation's second largest em- lican Sen. Bob Dole pointed out, Clinton has students from more than 100 nations. While ployer which provides more than 13 million been ‘‘playing the Medi-scare game all week- no foreign languages are taught at the NPGS, end. That wasn’t their real problem. It was its students learn other languages at DLI and jobs. cutting spending.’’ contribute to the multicultural fabric of Monte- For instance, did you know that: $58 billion Republicans are proposing a reasonable rey. in Federal, State and local tax revenues were change. They want to cancel a 1990 Demo- The AT&T Language Line Services, the cratic-sponsored measure that, left alone, generated through travel and tourism in 1994; would have the unintended effect of reducing largest provider of telephone-based language the typical American household spends $3,900 the monthly premium for Medicare. Without services in the world, provides around the per year on travel; the World Tourism Organi- action, the monthly payment would drop clock interpretation for business, emergency zation projects that in the year 2000, more from $46.10 to $42.50 as of Jan. 1. The GOP service providers, communities and institutions than 661 million people will travel internation- wants to raise the payment to $53.50, thereby across the United States and Canada, and the ally; and international visitor spending now ac- keeping the current recipient-funded portion United Kingdom in 140 languages. of the program costs at 31.5 percent. Domen- counts for over 14 percent of all travel ex- It was created from the vision of a former ici came a long way around by offering to San Jose police officer who saw the critical penditures in the United States, compared to freeze premiums at $46.10. need for law enforcement officers to be able to five percent in 1983. The increase to $53.50 would prevent a larg- communicate with the people they served. What these statistics indicate to me is that er burden from shifting to the taxpayers and AT&T bought the service in 1989. Eighty prepare the way for the long-term adjust- we must compete aggressively for the inter- ments that the public is going to have to percent of major hospitals in the United States national travel and tourism dollar and the inter- make to keep Medicare solvent. and more than 45 percent of all hospitals sub- national travelerÐwho is most likely multi- Taxpayers should applaud this responsible scribe to the service, as do the INS, the U.S. lingual. We can only do that by strengthening suggestion. General-fund expenditures must Coast Guard, the SBA, and most major insur- our commitment to language training and en- be cut wherever possible if the budget is ever ance companies and financial institutions going to be balanced. Certainly this is no courage language development in the citizenry time to be reducing the amount of money throughout the United States. In fact, at my of our own country. suggestion the attending physician of U.S. that retirees are asked to contribute to the Congress subscribes to the service in order to I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor H. insurance program from which they benefit. Res. 266 and to support your local language Furthermore, the logical time to make the be able to communicate with any foreign change is now. To leave it until Clinton and speaking tourists who may require medical resources to ensure continued U.S. global the GOP hammered out all their differences treatment while visiting the U.S. Capital. leadership and enhance U.S. economic could mean that the rate would drop in Jan- The Monterey Institute of International Stud- competiveness. uary. That would make it even harder to ies has an extensive graduate school curricu- raise it later.