Political Quotes

“it is with some degree of regret that I rise to oppose this budget resolution conference report. Thanks to continued economic growth and the tough choices we made on the budget in 1993, this year, for the first time in a generation, we have been given the opportunity to structure a budget which is balanced, fiscally responsible, and makes important investment in America's domestic priorities. When I first came to the Senate some 6 years ago, we faced $200 billion annual deficits as far as the eye could see. Now, thanks to the tough choices we made in 1993, then fiscal discipline we imposed on the budget, and a vibrant economy, we are able to reap the benefits of the difficult choices. Now we are running surpluses--projected to be as much as $4.7 trillion over the next 15 years by the Office of Management and Budget. Thanks to these surpluses we have an unparalleled opportunity to set our budgetary house in order and meet the challenges of the future. We have the opportunity to save Social Security and Medicare. To invest in education, environment, and health care. To provide for a strong national defense. And I also believe that we have an important opportunity to provide responsible tax relief for working families--and I intend to introduce legislation to provide just such a tax cut with my colleague from Iowa, Senator Grassley. But this conference report ignores these opportunities. It fails to meet the test of saving Medicare.”