Congressional Record UNUM

E PLURIBUS

United States

of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m.

Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

H 4673

House of Representatives

Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1995 No. 77

The House met at 11 a.m.

fPRAYER

The Chaplain, Rev. James David

Ford, D.D., offered the following prayer:

We are reminded by the Psalmist

that Your Word, O God, is a lamp to

our feet and a light to our path. In

these times when there are many options available to people in their lives

and diverse opinions and ideas, we pray

for lamps to lighten our way and show

us the course to follow. We recognize

that we can communicate with all the

authorities from every background and

attempt to gain all knowledge, and yet

we know that to be touched by Your

spirit is the beginning of wisdom. May

that spirit, O God, that is new every

morning, encourage and lighten our

path, now and evermore. Amen.

THE JOURNAL

fThe SPEAKER. The Chair has examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and announces to the House

his approval thereof.

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

fThe SPEAKER. Will the gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs.

CLAYTON] come forward and lead the

House in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mrs. CLAYTON led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the

United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY CHAIRMAN OF

THE COMMITTEE ON RULES ON

AMENDMENT PROCESS FOR THE

BUDGET RESOLUTION

(Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute.)

Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, the

Rules Committee is planning to meet

on next Tuesday, May 16, to grant a

rule which may limit the kind of

amendments offered to the concurrent

resolution on the budget for fiscal year

1996.

Members are strongly advised to submit only amendments in the nature of

a substitute which provide for a balanced budget not later than the year

2002.

Any Member who is contemplating

an amendment to the budget resolution

should submit 55 copies and a brief explanation by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 15,

to the Rules Committee, room H–312 in

the Capitol.

Members should use the Office of

Legislative Counsel and the Congressional Budget Office to ensure that

their amendments are properly drafted

and should check with the Office of the

Parliamentarian to be certain their

amendments comply with the rules of

the House.

(Mr. DE

A FAILURE TO ACT

LAY asked and was given perfmission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker, as we start

the budget process today, we will hear

many doomsday predictions from liberal Democrats about the Republican

approach to balancing the budget.

Sadly, we will not hear a thing about

the Democrat approach because there

is no Democrat approach to balancing

the budget. That failure to act is a

monumental decision.

A failure to act on the budget means

higher interest rates, slower economic

growth, and less job opportunity for

working Americans.

A failure to act means higher taxes

and more wasteful government spending. A failure to act means less buying

power for American families, a heavier

burden on our middle class, less stability for our senior citizens.

A failure to act means a bankrupt

Medicare system. A failure to act

means a less secure future for our children.

Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have

failed to act, and that failure is completely irresponsible. I urge the American people to keep that in mind as

House Democrats come to the floor

with their hysterical charges.

CUTTING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SO THE WEALTHY GET A

fTAX BREAK

(Mr. VOLKMER asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today, the 126th day of the imperial

speakership, to protest the proposed

Gingrich Republican budget plan. This

plan would cut Medicare and Medicaid

Programs by over $400 billion so that

the wealthy can have a tax break.

Two months ago, Mr. Speaker, the

Gingrich Republicans voted to cut benefits for children in the School Lunch

Program. Then they attacked the Student Loan Program. Now it is the elderly through cuts in Medicare and Social Security. The Republicans have

stated time and time again they would

not touch the Social Security system,

but their proposed fiscal year 1996

budget would decrease cost-of-living

increases for Social Security recipients.