Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 104 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1995 No. 99 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA led the Pledge We have begun yesterday and again called to order by the Speaker pro tem- of Allegiance as follows: today the process of rebuilding our na- pore [Mr. BURTON of Indiana]. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the tional defenses. Because of our fiscal f United States of America, and to the Repub- crisis, it won't be as much as some of lic for which it stands, one nation under God, us would like but it is a down payment. DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Remember, most defense goes to the PRO TEMPORE f men and women who protect us every The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- day. That is what you will find in to- fore the House the following commu- MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE day's military construction appropria- nication from the Speaker: A message from the Senate by Mr. tion bill. WASHINGTON, DC, Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- Mr. Speaker, history has proven to us June 16, 1995. nounced that the Senate had passed a that when we see the daylight of peace I hereby designate the Honorable DAN BUR- concurrent resolution of the following on the horizon, we tend to disarm and TON to act as Speaker pro tempore on this title, in which the concurrence of the bask in the sunshine. We need to re- day. House is requested: member that the darkness of war can NEWT GINGRICH, be only a few hours away. Speaker of the House of Representatives. S. Con. Res. 17. Concurrent resolution au- thorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for f f the exhibition of the RAH±66 Comanche heli- copter. DO NOT BALANCE THE BUDGET ON PRAYER THE BACKS OF OUR CHILDREN The Chaplain, Rev. James David f AND SENIOR CITIZENS Ford, D.D., offered the following pray- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER (Mr. LEWIS of Georgia asked and was er: PRO TEMPORE given permission to address the House With hearts of gratitude and praise, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The for 1 minute and to revise and extend O gracious God, we offer our thanks for his remarks.) Your Word that points us in the right Chair will accept five 1-minutes from each side. Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, way, that accompanies us in the valley we are all in agreement, Democrats of the shadow, that never abandons us f and Republicans; we must put the fi- though we forget or despise, that in- IN DEFENSE OF DEFENSE nancial affairs of our country back in spires and encourages us no matter order. Our huge national debt, the leg- what the concern, that forgives us and (Mr. HEFLEY asked and was given acy of the Reagan and Bush adminis- pardons us of all guilt, that reminds us permission to address the House for 1 trations, must be eliminated. that in all the moments of life we are minute.) The question, Mr. Speaker, is how to never alone, for Your Word of faith and Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, I think it cut and what to cut. The Republicans hope and love is with us always. Amen. is fair to say that the defense budget in Congress want to cut school lunches f has not been a high priority for Mr. for our children, cut our student's col- Clinton. I think it is important, how- lege loans and cut Medicare for our THE JOURNAL ever, for us to remember that the senior citizens. This is how the Repub- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The greatest portion of the defense dollars licans propose to balance the budget. Chair has examined the Journal of the that are spent are not spent on SDI nor Students will have to pay thousands last day's proceedings and announces on the B±2 bomber. more to attend college and our parents to the House his approval thereof. We spend the biggest share of our de- and grandparents will have to spend an Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- fense dollars on people, the young en- extra $1,000 per year for their health nal stands approved. listed personnel who catapult the F± care. f 14's off carriers, control military sat- At the same time the Republicans ellites, man Patriot missile batteries, propose giving a tax break to the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE and land on beaches from Normandy to wealthiest people in America, the super The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the Somalia. These men and women who rich, the top 1 percent. This approach, gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. travel in harm's way for our sake are is wrong, just plain wrong. FALEOMAVAEGA] come forward and lead the ones who are hurt by inadequate Mr. Speaker, when are the Repub- the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. defense spending. licans in this House going to realize b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H 6047 H 6048 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE June 16, 1995 that the American people want to get Medicare part B has increased 5,400 per- This rule should improve child safety the financial affairs of this country in cent since the creation of the program. and make older Americans' lives easi- order, but not on the backs of our chil- Medicare is in such bad shape that even erÐwhat could be better? dren and senior citizens and not while members of the President's own Cabi- f giving tax breaks to the richest people net admit that Medicare will be bank- in America. rupt in 7 years. FIXING A BROKEN MEDICARE SYSTEM f Mr. Speaker, buried deep in the phi- losophy of programs like Medicare is (Mr. HOKE asked and was given per- GET ON THE REFORM BANDWAGON the assumption that Government has mission to address the House for 1 (Mr. LAHOOD asked and was given all the answers. It does not. It is time minute.) permission to address the House for 1 for the American people, both Repub- Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, it is part of minute.) licans and Democrats, to work to- American conventional wisdom that if Mr. LAHOOD. Mr. Speaker, in New gether to save Medicare. It is not too it ain't broke, then don't fix it, but Hampshire this past weekend, Presi- late to preserve and protect it before it Medicare is broke because it is going dent Clinton agreed with Speaker goes broke. broke. The Medicare board of trustees GINGRICH that Medicare is in trouble. f said in March in their 1995 annual re- In his own words, he said, ``We cannot port on Medicare, that the program is WHERE'S THE BEEF? leave the system the way it is. There severely out of financial balance and is have to be some changes.'' (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was expected to be exhausted in 2001. Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see the given permission to address the House It is broke because it is going broke. President of the United States recog- for 1 minute and to revise and extend We have a responsibility to fix it. That nizes a problem that affects millions of his remarks.) is what this debate is all about. If you senior citizens in our country. How- Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, for look at the numbers that we are talk- ever, I can't help thinking how nice it years Washington politicians have been ing about, the way that we fix it is in would be now to actually see Demo- asking, Where's the beef? I can hon- terms of numbers. We increase the crats produce some solutions to these estly answer this morning, we found spending from $4,800 per recipient per problems. the beef. It is grazing on the beltway, year to $6,400 per recipient per year. In Unfortunately, the Democrats 12 errant bovines on the beltway, run- other words, we go from about $400 a around here have no ideas on how to fix ning around recklessly, grazing at will, month per person to about $550 a the current Medicare crisis. Instead, and some people say they are just rest- month per person. But the real chal- they stand up day after day to whine less, it is the breeding season. lenge is working out the details of how and moan and complain about Repub- I say, Mr. Speaker, they are looking that is done. lican actions on Medicare. for the budget. The President has one, I am confident that we can do that. I It would be nice to see the Democrats the House has one, the Senate has one. am confident that based on where the divert some of their energy into help- The truth is the American people know private sector has gone to squeeze out ing us develop solutions to preserve there is a lot of bovine flatulence down money in the medical system, that we and protect Medicare. Join the Presi- here, and the American people want to can do it. But what we need is the help dent, join the Republicans.