Cass Ballenger: “we all know President Clinton is coming to this Chamber tonight to deliver his last State of the Union address. As we…”

“we all know President Clinton is coming to this Chamber tonight to deliver his last State of the Union address. As we all await with great anticipation what he will say and what he will propose, I would like to mention a few items I hope he will emphasize. The House Republican leadership wrote to the President this week asking that he discuss three specific initiatives. I would like to echo their call to the President to, first, join us in protecting 100 percent of the Social Security Trust Fund; second, detail how he will pay off the public debt by 2013; and, third, sign meaningful and responsible tax fairness into law and do not propose higher taxes or more burdensome user fees. If the President can address these items and resist the temptation to propose new spending programs that increase the size and scope of the Federal Government, then his speech will be well received by Congress. Tonight is a major opportunity for cooperation, not confrontation. I hope the President will work with us this year on behalf of the American people and put aside partisan differences.”