Arlen Specter: “moving now to consideration of the pending bill, the pending committee report, we have legislation before the Senate for…”

“moving now to consideration of the pending bill, the pending committee report, we have legislation before the Senate for the three departments, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education for fiscal year 1998, which totals $79.7 billion in discretionary budget authority. That is a large sum of money. Mandatory spending under this totals $189.3 billion, which is a decrease of $15.2 billion from the fiscal year 1997 levels. We have gone through the budget with great care. We have been fortunate enough to have outstanding staffs, both on the Republican side of the aisle and the Democratic side of the aisle, and we have come forward with these proposals here today. It is my view, Mr. President, that when we have a total Federal budget of $1.7 trillion, that should provide for the needs of the American people through the Federal Governmental operations, if we assess our priorities in a proper way. We have just seen landmark legislation with the balanced budget legislation, and the tax reduction legislation passed by the Congress before we adjourned on August 1, and signed by the President into law on August 5. It is very important that we do reach that balanced budget. We should not, as a nation, spend beyond our means. I believe it is possible to achieve that goal if we work with a scalpel and not a meat ax and take care of the important needs for all of America.”