Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I think that this is a very good budget proposal. What this budget enables us to do is to build on the success that we have created over the last number of years. What does this budget do? Number one, it locks away the entire social security trust fund surpluses. That is almost $1.8 trillion over the next 10 years to save, strengthen, and preserve social security, and as necessary, to do the same things for Medicare. It locks away the entire social security trust fund. This budget saves social security receipts in excess of benefit payments so that we can strengthen and save both social security and Medicare. Secondly, it forces us to maintain the spending discipline of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act by holding to the discretionary spending caps that we agreed to with the President in 1997. It pays down about $1.8 trillion in debt that is held by the public. In regard to what the President's budget does, this budget pays down over $450 billion more than what the President pays down in public debt. It ensures that we properly fund our need for defense by spending $290 billion in fiscal year 2000. In addition, we provide for $66 billion for education, training, employment, and social services. This is $3 billion more than what was in the House resolution, so we continue our commitment to education.”