J.C. Watts: “Mr. Speaker, on November 20 there was a continuing resolution that was signed that said that Congress and the President…”

“Mr. Speaker, on November 20 there was a continuing resolution that was signed that said that Congress and the President shall balance the budget by the year 2002, using Congressional Budget Office numbers and using honest numbers. That resolution expired December 15 at midnight. At that time, the President had not offered a balanced budget, scored by CBO, that would balance in 7 years. Mr. Speaker, that has been the problem. We have had appropriations that have been vetoed. We do not have a President that submitted a budget that would balance over the next 7 years, and that is the problem. What is the problem with submitting something that will balance? Is it that the President does not want to be accountable, the President does not want to discipline himself? We said, ``Mr. President, you don't have to agree with our numbers. You can disagree with our numbers. Just give us your priority, your numbers, and we will negotiate a settlement.''”