Political Quotes

“I also would like to correct the record, and so I rise today to set it straight. I am reacting to the fact again that the Senator from Mississippi submitted a portion of my floor statement from balanced budget debate last year and incorrectly described the context of my remarks, and I would like to put those remarks in context. The Senator claims in the Congressional Record that the statement was made in response to the balanced budget amendment as submitted by Senators Simon and Hatch. In fact, there were two proposals last year on the balanced budget amendment. The statement that is attributed to me was made in reaction and in support of the balanced budget amendment proposed by Senator Reid, which would have protected the Social Security trust fund. I would like to put the statement submitted by the Senator from Mississippi in context by briefly reading a couple of paragraphs from my floor speech made on February 24, 1994. I am here to speak on behalf of the Reid amendment. I believe it is improved over the Simon amendment. This amendment would protect Social Security. I do not believe that the trust fund should be used to balance the budget. It would allow the creation of a capital budget (that is this amendment), just as many cities and States do now. It would allow flexibility in times of recession. And it would keep the courts from mandating actions that are legislative prerogatives.”