6778 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS April 8, 1986 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE POLISH AMERICAN STRING preaching 15 to 17 percent of their gross na­ ducing any change in the public's percep­ BAND, CHAMPIONS AGAIN tional product, dwarfing our present 6 percent tion of what was happening to defense GNP commitment. Even if the spending num­ spending. HON. ROBERT A. BORSKI bers are in dispute, there is no disputing the Absorbed, as they must be, in public rela­ figures that show the Soviet Union outstrip­ tions and political maneuvering, the partici­ OF PENNSYLVANIA pants in the Washington power game often ping United States production in every signifi­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES lose sight of the real issues. If this modest cant category of military hardware since 1974. military buildup becomes a casualty of hy­ Tuesday, April8, 1986 By comparison, the defense budget debate is perbole and misperception and as a conse­ Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a a mere sideshow. quence is further cut back, the U.S. is likely great fraternal and musical group from my The article follows: to remain the world's second most powerful hometown, the Polish American String Band. [From Business Week, Apr. 14, 19861 nation. If Ronald Reagan, with his electoral The Polish American String Band recently THE PENTAGON BUDGET: FACT VERSUS FICTION victories, cannot succeed with a military buildup, no one is likely to succeed. The earned its 10 prestigious first prize in Philadel­ <By Paul Craig Roberts> Soviet Union is not blind to the implica­ phia's famous annual Mummers' Day Parade. The Reagan Administration and its critics tions. The prospect of being the dominant The Polish American String Band has a long are at odds on many issues, but on one criti­ power in the international arena is scarcely tradition of excellence among Philadelphia's cal matter they agree: There has been a an incentive for the Soviets to restrain their great Mummers bands. It was founded in massive buildup in the nation's defense. own ongoing military buildup. 1933 by Mr. Joseph Jankowski and the Polish Critics on the left bemoan this buildup as It is dangerous for the Reagan Adminis­ business community in Port Richmond. For a resurrection of the arms race, while the tration and its critics to project the image of Administration claims that the buildup is a buildup that is greater than its substance. the past 47 years, it has participated in the forcing the Soviets back to the bargaining traditional New Year's Day Mummers' Parade, On the one hand, it misleads the American table for arms-reduction talks. Even the public and U.S. allies about our relative giving an opportunity for musical excellence conservative chairman of the Senate Budget strength. On the other hand, it tells the and community involvement to hundreds of Committee, Pete V. Domenici <R-N.M.), be­ Soviet government that in this country the men and boys. lieves that Reagan has achieved such a political stake in maintaining a pretense is Participation in the Polish American String large increase in defense that it is safe to so great that illusion crowds out reality. Band offers its members a chance to learn cut $25 billion from the latest defense The sputtering Reagan defense buildup in­ the values of teamwork and friendship. It budget. dicates that the U.S. does not perceive the To an extraordinary degree, the facts are offers them a chance to strive for success increase in Soviet defense efforts as threat­ different from the perception. As the chart ening. As Defense Secretary Caspar W. each New Year's Day. It gives them a chance shows, the actual path of real defense to make great music while working with their Weinberger said last year, if this perception spending under Reagan closely parallels proves wrong: "History will not give us a friends and neighbors. that projected by the outgoing Carter Ad­ second chance.'' I salute the officers of the Polish American ministration in 1981. Real defense spending String Band, its president, Bob Dombroski, bears no relationship at all to the buildup that Reagan proposed. and its captain, Ray Danielewicz, and all the CONGRESSIONAL SALUTE TO band members for their championship per­ The level of real defense spending that the Reagan Administration had planned to THE HONORABLE PETER formance last New Year's Day. I would also reach by 1986 is not expected to be attained KALFE OF PASSAIC, NJ, IMME­ like to honor all hard-working wives, mothers, even by 1991. Real defense spending in 1986 DIATE PAST COMMANDER, daughters, and sisters who contribute to the is $19.8 billion below the amount projected ROSOL-DUL MEMORIAL POST band's successful efforts. And I would like to in Reagan's first budget and only $2.2 bil­ NO. 359 AMERICAN LEGION join in wishing good luck to the new officers of lion above the projections in Carter's last the band for 1986-87, including its new presi­ budget. dent, Stan Magenta, Sr. Everyone exaggerates. Because the public HON. ROBERT A. ROE The Polish American String Band has been does not accurately perceive the actual course of military spending during Reagan's OF NEW JERSEY winning friends and honors for its members Presidency, the defense budget is exposed to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and its community for over 50 years. I salute the peril of the Gramm-Rudman Act's defi­ them for their most recent honors and I wish cit-reduction formula. If the latest projec­ Tuesday, April8, 1986 them many years of continued success. tions of the Congressional Budget Office Mr. ROE. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, April are based on an accurate assessment of atti­ tudes in Congress, the increase in real de­ 12 residents of the city of Passaic, my con­ PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS ON THE fense spending is over. The CBO projects no gressional district and State of New Jersey DEFENSE BUDGET DEBATE rise in real defense spending from 1986 to will gather together at the annual past com­ 1991 and shows the defense budget declin­ manders dinner of Rosoi-Dul Memorial Post ing as a share of GNP from 6.4% in 1986 to No. 359 of the American Legion, a gala anni­ HON. JIM COURTER 5.7% in 1991, the same share as in 1975. OF NEW JERSEY versary celebration of the veterans of our Fiction often prevails over fact because of community in testimony to the outstanding en­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the partisan nature of political competition. deavors of their leadership in veterans af­ Tuesday, April 8, 1986 First of all, an Administration and its sup­ porters naturally seek to exaggerate its suc­ fairs-always giving willingly and unselfishly of Mr. COURTER. Mr. Speaker, as the follow­ cess in accomplishing its goals and to mini­ their time in seeking justice and equity for all ing article by Paul Craig Roberts demon­ mize the failures. When faced with a set­ of our people. This year's featured honored strates, the current debate over the defense back, they show a strong tendency to de­ guest is the immediate past commander-the budget has a little something for everyone. clare victory. At the same time, an Adminis­ Honorable Peter Kalfe of Passaic, NJ-whose The defense critics can lambaste the Reagan tration's opponents, who are attacking these standards of excellence as the chief executive goals, also exaggerate the degree to which defense buildup, and the Reagan administra­ they have been achieved. In this way, both officer of Rosoi-Dul Memorial Post No. 359 tion can point to modest progress which war­ the Administration and its critics scaled during 1984-85 has served to carry on the rants continued robust funding. down what was to be a major military build­ sterling traditions and purpose of this highly Meanwhile, the intelligence community is re­ up into little more than a modest improve­ esteemed veterans organization with quality porting that Soviet defense spending is ap- ment in our defense posture-without pro- leadership and sincerity of purpose which has e This "bullet.. symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. April 8, 1986 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 6779 truly enriched our community, State, and Stanley Blazowski ..................... .. 1948-49 worthwhile projects which had a high approval Nation. Fabian Izsa, Jr............................. 1949-50 factor within the community. Mr. Speaker, I know that you and our col­ Joseph P. Lazur ......................... .. 1950-51 However, as TV A began to move technical­ leagues here in the Congress will want to join Stanley Benedict........................ .. 1951-52 ly into the nuclear age, some of the traditions Edward Serafin .......................... .. 1952-53 with me in extending our heartiest congratula­ Thaddeus Tecza .......................... 1953-54 began to present problems. Management poli­ tions and best of wishes to Peter Kalfe and Frank Duplak ............................. .. 1954- 55 cies which had worked well under a different share the pride of his wife Natalie; their chil­ Edward Lazur ............................. .. 1955-56 set of circumstances began to become prob­ dren: Carol, John, Mark Lynd, and Maryann William Gonsisko ....................... 1956-57 lems for the TV A and thus for the people of Coral; and granddaughter, Michele on this Andrew Tylawsky ....................... 1957-58 the region who pay TVA's bills. 1 milestone of achievement in their family en­ Bruno Czerniak .............. .......... .. 1958-59 For example, TV A's management adopted a deavors. Stanley Pych .............................. .. 1959-60 1 policy that limited candidates for reactor oper­ Mr.