Martin Sabo

I think our history has been that whatever problems exist nationally have not existed in most of these projects and programs in our State, and they worked very well. They provided very good housing, and are widely used, and people who live…

Mr. Chairman, since I have become a Member of Congress, and I am sure well before that, some in Congress have called for the repeal of Davis-Bacon. I have opposed these efforts and will continue to oppose any weakening of this important…

I find it very unfortunate when we compare legal immigrants in this country with prisoners and put them in the same category. In fact I find it sort of personal. My parents were both immigrants to this country. I remember when my mother…

Is what the gentleman is saying that this bill will mean a significant transfer from Federal resources to obligations on the local property tax?

I want to only say it is the President's program that reduced the Federal deficit by more than 50 percent over all the 'no' votes of the Republican, now majority, when they were in the minority. It is the President's program that has…

In 1981 we had similar supply-side economics as the majority is projecting today. In 1981 we were told that by 1984 the budget would be in balance. Instead, we had a deficit of $175 billion. When we were told we should cut taxes and…

But I am just curious, to what degree the line-item veto is different for the direct spending of contract authority versus that of appropriated discretionary funds.

Now I understand why the gentleman may need this amendment, because of that language. Do I also understand that the Line Item Veto Act does not apply to contract authority in the same fashion as it applies to other discretionary spending?

I am just curious, how could this bill not have the Line Item Veto Act of 1996 apply to it.

Mr. Chairman, let us be straight about some facts. Since 1981, we have spent more than we have collected in receipts and interest in these funds. The way we measure the deficit is expenditures versus revenue. In 1994 and 1995, the…

I would ask the gentleman, why is it the trust fund only pays 50 percent of FAA operating costs, when all the studies show that 85 percent is related to civilian air travel? Has not, in effect, general revenue substantially subsidized the…

I can think of nothing more foolish for the Congress to do than to refuse to extend the debt ceiling so that we go into default on our credit, so that we find ourselves in a position where we cannot send benefit checks that millions of…

So it is not only a limited amendment, but it is something that sort of rushed through committee that is changing this historic relationship that our country has had with our allies?

I am just curious, NATO has been rather important to this country for 45 years, almost 50 years. Were there extensive hearings in committee as we write new law to change that historic relationship?

Let me finish a minute. I am not one who talks about pork. I think there is good cause at times for demo projects. I do not condemn them. I have been involved with them. Sometimes they are contract authority, sometimes they are authorized…

Members, I rise in support of this amendment, maybe for reasons different than others. I do it for the sake of consistency, not for the sake of pork versus goodness, or whatever else may be talked about today. But the reality is the base…

I am curious what the record is over the last 40 years in terms of requests for appropriated dollars versus what the Congress has appropriated. If I am not wrong, Presidents have traditionally, both historically and in recent years…

This bill applies to anything that would place caps on entitlement upon or otherwise decrease the Federal Government's responsibility to provide funding for States, local government or tribal governments under the program.

I have to say to my friend from Minnesota this instruction relates to discretionary spending, which is a little over a third of the budget. Its impact is significant on discretionary spending, which is a part of the budget that we also put…

No. What there is around the country is significant differences in health care costs and significant difference in Medicare reimbursements around the country. So, for most of the counties, most rural counties and even many urban areas…

No, you eliminate all the subsidy plus ask 95 percent of the counties to pay more than 100 percent of their actual cost. So, they are being asked to--and I forget what the actual average is, something like $130 a month--there are…

No. Currently, they pay 25 percent of the national average. They go to 100 percent of the national average. The reality is that in 95 percent of the counties, the actual cost is significantly below the national average. So for those…

That is right, but there are still significant parts of the country which would be asked to pay substantially more than actual costs. I have always tried to understand that rationalization. Over 95 percent of the counties, the actual costs…

I am curious what the gentleman is doing with farm programs, because as we read the budget, in 1996, it produces a billion four of revenue to the Federal Government.

I rise to commend him for this rule. It is a fair rule. It allows a variety of alternatives to be considered and debated by this Congress. But more importantly, I would like to say to the gentleman from South Carolina how much I and the…