John Spratt: “the Committee on the Budget leadership, the congressional leadership, and the White House have negotiated in earnest…”

“the Committee on the Budget leadership, the congressional leadership, and the White House have negotiated in earnest over the past 4 months. Our negotiations culminated in a document called the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 1997, which is incorporated by reference in the committee report. In issuing reconciliation directives, what the resolution seeks is compliance with this agreement, and compliance is critical if we are to implement in good faith the bipartisan budget agreement of 1997. To that end, I would like to engage the chairman of the Committee on the Budget in a colloquy to confirm his understanding of this bipartisan budget agreement and this budget resolution. First, does the chairman remain committed to House consideration of two separate reconciliation bills, first, the spending bill, second, the bill providing for $85 billion in net tax reduction from 1998 to 2002? I raise this question because the House reconciliation directive allows either two bills or a single omnibus bill, and on May 19, 1997, Chairman Kasich sent me a letter to clarify that provision.”