S 8598 — SENATE June 19, 1995 MORNING BUSINESS When there is discussion of a bal- What we are not told is in the last 3 Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask anced budget amendment, we always years the discretionary budget is cut that we have morn- hear people say: I am for a balanced by $178 billion, so basically almost all ing business for not to exceed 5 min- budget; I sure want a balanced budget, of the cuts come in the last 3 years, not utes. but we do not need an amendment; all in the early years. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without we have to do is do it. We are told there are no cuts in de- objection, it is so ordered. Well, we have a chance to come to fense, but after the year 2005, there are (The remarks of Mr. THOMAS pertain- the snubbing post this time and figure an additional $65 billion in defense ing to the introduction of S. 943 are lo- out if we can do it. And we have before cuts. Most of the discussion this year cated in today’s RECORD under ‘‘State- us from the Senate as well as the has been that this is not a peaceful ments on Introduced Bills and Joint House potential outlines that do bal- world, and it is not a time to continue Resolutions.’’) ance the budget. to reduce defense expenditures. Not only is balancing the budget im- f In addition, what was not said in the portant, Mr. President, but I think President’s budget was in the last 3 WAS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? also, of course, the budget and spend- years Medicare is cut by $167 billion, THE VOTERS HAVE SAID YES ing and taxes help to shape the form of more than all of the proposed cuts in Government. I think they respond to the first 7 years. Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, more what I believe was a very clear state- than 3 years ago, I began these daily So I think it is fair to say that this ment of the voters in 1994 that Govern- budget proposal is endloaded. Even the reports to the Senate to make a matter ment is too big and spends too much. of record the exact Federal debt as of Washington Post, which is not exactly And certainly the test of good Govern- a pillar of conservatism, indicates that close of business the previous day. On ment is whether or not the Govern- Mondays, of course, my reports are al- given more time, it is always easier to ment responds when voters have sent do the budget reduction. ways ‘‘as of’’ the previous Friday. that sort of a message. So nothing will As of the close of business Friday, A full 85 percent of the President’s be more important than the budget dis- June 16, the Federal debt stood at ex- promised reductions would occur in the cussions this year and the result of actly $4,892,368,600,316.89. On a per cap- next century. I would argue that those deliberations. chances are pretty good before we come ita basis, every man, woman, and child I am pleased to welcome the Presi- to actually paying for the changes we in America owes $18,571.52 as his or her dent of the United States to the budget ask for, there will be other changes. In share of the Federal debt. debate. I am disappointed that it took the next 7 years, as a matter of fact, It is important to recall, Mr. Presi- this long for him to participate in it. the promises made in the President’s dent, that the Senate this year missed He sort of falls into the follow-the- budget for cuts are slightly smaller an opportunity to implement a bal- leader type of concept. anced budget amendment to the U.S. I am disappointed that the budget than the budget he submitted in Feb- Constitution. Regrettably, the Senate recommended by the administration ruary. failed by one vote in that first attempt does not, in fact, balance the budget, So Martha Phillips, who is the execu- to bring the Federal debt under con- even though it is extended to a period tive director of the Concord Coalition, trol. of 10 years. I am also disappointed that said, ‘‘It is a funny thing about those There will be another opportunity in it appears to yield to the political no- elusive outyears; they never seem to the months ahead to approve such a tion of endloading, where almost all of arrive.’’ constitutional amendment. the pain is somewhere in the future, I think one of the difficulties, Mr. Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I sug- somewhere 10 years from now, which President, in recent years—perhaps al- gest the absence of a . puts balancing the budget at great ways, but it seems particularly ironic The PRESIDING OFFICER. The risk. It’s likely that in the next 10 now—is that in an era in which we have clerk will call the roll. years there will be another budget and the greatest, quickest communications The assistant legislative clerk pro- all the benefits will come early and the system the world has ever known, it is ceeded to call the roll. price we have to pay for it as taxpayers very, very difficult to get facts to you Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask will not show up until later and the and me as voters in Casper, WY; that unanimous consent that the order for budget ends up never being balanced. the information is usually put forth by the be rescinded. So, Mr. President, I am glad we are advocates on either side and spun The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without launched. I am glad the President of whichever way they choose to spin it objection, it is so ordered. the United States has come into the to where it is extremely difficult for f discussion. However, the Congress has people to really get a handle on what is already done most of the heavy lifting happening. EXTENSION OF MORNING by passing a balanced budget weeks I noticed in just the last couple of BUSINESS ago. I am very proud of what the Sen- months that the folks who come to our Mr. THOMAS. I ask unanimous con- ate did. I am not on the Budget Com- office who belong to nationwide organi- sent that we extend morning business mittee, but I think Senator DOMENICI zations usually get a briefing. Frankly, for 10 minutes. and others came face up to the task, when they come to the office and ex- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without and their cuts start soon; they start to plain their point of view from the basis objection, it is so ordered. do what has to be done without putting of the briefing, you hardly recognize it Mr. THOMAS. I thank the Chair. it off the way the President does—the from what you have seen in the budget. f political way of tough talk, the politi- What we need more than anything, of cal way of giving the benefits and course, is really straight talk, some BALANCING THE BUDGET doing the tax adjustments early on and real facts. The idea that we are going Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I would letting the hard work, the heavy lifting to balance the budget with no pain is like to take an opportunity as we wait go until later, make it until even after an illusion. Of course, there is going to to go on the highway bill to talk a bit the turn of the century, which is only be some pain. Of course, there are more about the budget. It seems to me 5 years from now, maybe until after going to be some changes. there will be nothing this year that we the next Presidential election, not this The idea that we accomplished great will deal with more important than the one in 1996 but the next one in the year things in 1993, for example, when most budget. One aspect of it, of course, is 2000. Most of the heavy lifting in the of the deficit reduction came from the ‘‘why’’ of balancing the budget. President’s budget comes after that— bookkeeping changes. We changed Certainly I do not think anyone would coincidence, I am sure. what was anticipated in losses in the suggest that continuing to spend more We are told that the President’s RTC. We changed what was anticipated than we take in is a responsible fiscal budget cuts discretionary programs ex- in losses in Medicaid. About 18 percent or moral position. This Congress has cept defense and education by $200 bil- of the change was a policy change, and not balanced the budget for 25 years. lion in 7 years. that was a tax increase. June 19, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S 8599 Spending in 1993, when we talk about President suggested 2 years ago that A bill (S. 939) to amend Title 18 United the deficit reduction, went up and con- those were the better numbers. Now we States Code to ban partial-birth abortions. tinues to go up at 5 percent. When you find he chooses to use other numbers Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, at this are talking about $1.5 trillion, 5 per- which actually reduce the need by time, under the instructions of the ma- cent of that is a very large amount of about $200 billion per year, and accord- jority leader, I interpose an objection money. ing to most people’s accounting, would to further proceedings on this matter. But I am encouraged now that the come up at the end of the 10 years still The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill President has endorsed the idea of bal- hundreds of billions in arrears. We have will be placed on the calendar. ancing the budget that we should get the best chance in memory to take a f there as quickly as possible. It is a lit- real bona fide look at doing something tle hard to imagine that in a $7 trillion about overspending, about doing some- CONCLUSION OF MORNING economy that a $60 billion change in thing with the size of Government, and BUSINESS Government spending is going to hurt we can do it this year, Mr. President. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning our prosperity. I think George Will said So I welcome the President’s entry, business is now closed. that it was very hard to figure out how his recognition that we do need to bal- f that can discombobulate a $7 trillion ance the budget, and some of the ideas economy. that he has, but I suggest to you we NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM So we should move boldly. We have have to be honest and fair about it. We DESIGNATION ACT the chance to move boldly. We have the cannot wait until the next century to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under chance to do the things that we talked have the pain come. We have to start the previous order, the Senate will now about for a very long time, that almost now and do the things that most people resume consideration of S. 440, which everyone talks about on the campaign agree need to be done. the clerk will report. trail—balance the budget, reduce Gov- Mr. President, I yield the floor and The assistant legislative clerk read ernment, reduce spending. But when we suggest the absence of a quorum. as follows: get here, there are arguments about The PRESIDING OFFICER. The A bill (S. 440) to amend title 23, United who does it, where it ought to be, and clerk will call the roll. States Code, to provide for the designation of we end up not doing the things that The assistant legislative clerk pro- the National Highway System, and for other you and I know need to be done. ceeded to call the roll. purposes. Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask We can balance the budget. Very The Senate resumed consideration of unanimous consent that the order for likely we will find 6.1 million more the bill. jobs, we will lower interest rates on the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, there student loans, and on mortgages. are some 20 amendments of which the Mr. President, I think that we are objection, it is so ordered. managers have notice. There may be going to hold the administration’s feet Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we more. I know it is the intention of the to the fire. His track record does not have just had an opportunity for the majority leader and the Democratic indicate a great deal of confidence. His chairman of the committee, the Sen- leader that we proceed as expeditiously actions do not match the rhetoric that ator from Rhode Island [Mr. CHAFEE] as possible to bring this pending mat- we have been hearing. The President myself, and the distinguished Senator ter to a conclusion in the Senate. promised a 5-year balanced budget plan from New York [Mr. MOYNIHAN] to Again, I urge all Senators having an in- as a candidate, then rejected a 7-year meet with Mr. Rodney Slater, the Ad- terest to come to the floor and take up budget plan, and now proposes a 10- ministrator of the Federal Highway those matters. year budget plan. The budget deficit re- Administration, and he will soon be This legislation is critically impor- duction in 1993 he talks so much about forthcoming with some clarifications tant to maintaining the transportation was a matter of increasing taxes. of the positions of the administration So we have a history of more taxes, on a series of amendments. planning and construction programs in more spending—spending has never The Secretary of Transportation did our several States, to providing for the been reduced—and more Government. forward to all Senators today a letter efficient and timely movement of As a matter of fact, in the 1993 deficit respecting a special interest in the American products carried by commer- reduction bill, domestic discretionary safety provisions in the pending bill, cial activities, and to the safety of the spending actually accelerated rather and at an appropriate time, I will in- motoring public. than decreased. troduce that letter into the RECORD. As provided in the 1991 Intermodal In addition, this administration last But I encourage all Senators who Surface Transportation and Efficiency year made an effort to have the Gov- have a particular interest in this legis- Act, known as ISTEA, the Congress ernment take over health care. We lation to come forward today when we must approve the National Highway have to do something about Medicare. have the opportunity to work out a System map by September 30, 1995. Americans rejected the idea of a Fed- number of amendments and to, hope- With the cooperation of all members of eral Health Care Program. We have fully, have arguments on others and the Committee on the Environment now an opportunity to save Medicare. hold over until tomorrow, pursuant to and Public Works, we were able to ex- If we do not do something, according to the decision of the majority leader and pedite this bill such as the Senate has the trustees—some of whom are Cabi- Democratic leader on the time for the it at this particular time, well in ad- net members—in 2 years we will be into votes. vance of the deadline created by the reserves and in 5 more years it will So, at any time, this Senator and, I ISTEA. be broke. So it is not a question of am sure, my distinguished colleague Now, if Congress does not meet the whether we do something, it is a ques- would be pleased to interrupt our re- deadline, $6.5 billion in interstate tion of what we do and how we do it. If marks to allow a Senator or Senators maintenance and National Highway we want to have Medicare, if we want to pursue their individual interests System annual apportionments will be to have health care for the elderly, we with respect to amendments. withheld from the several States. have to change the program. Yet the f Therefore, we must not permit this administration only keeps Medicare penalty to be further imposed on our solvent for 3 more years, until 2005. MEASURE READ THE SECOND States. So I certainly hope that the Presi- TIME—S. 939 In February of this year, I introduced dent of the United States joining the Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I un- this legislation, along with 14 of my debate will cause us to move toward a derstand there is a bill at the desk that colleagues, to ensure prompt action on balanced budget. I am decidedly is due for its second reading. the National Highway System. Today, pleased he has moved away from the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The this legislation enjoys the bipartisan February budget proposal which was clerk will read the bill for the second support of 26 Senators. rejected 99 to zip in this body. time. The Environment and Public Works We need to use the Congressional The assistant legislative clerk read Subcommittee on Transportation and Budget Office’s [CBO] numbers. The as follows: Infrastructure, which I am privileged