Gerald B. H. Solomon: “P.T. Barnum once said, ``There's a sucker born every minute.'' Well, last Thursday could have filled a couple of his…”

“P.T. Barnum once said, ``There's a sucker born every minute.'' Well, last Thursday could have filled a couple of his circus tents with suckers. This entire House was suckered into believing that it was partially offsetting the disaster relief bill with some $2rac{1}{2}$ billion in rescissions by adopting the Fazio amendment. But, in point of fact, it was not. It simply freed-up another $2rac{1}{2}$ billion for additional spending under the fiscal 1994 discretionary spending cap. How could this happen when Mr. Fazio assured the Rules Committee, and this House, that he was partially offsetting the disaster relief expenditures? I would like to think it was a simple drafting error. But nowhere in his amendment is there one word about offsets. And, by remaining silent, the amendment will be scored as freeing up the 2rac{1}{2}$ plus billion dollars for new spending. Mr. Speaker, I hope this technical drafting error will be corrected in the other body--or in conference. But, just in case it is not, I am today introducing a concurrent resolution directing the Clerk to correct the enrollment of H.R. 3759 to ensure that the offset is truly counted as an offset.”