Date: 1982-04-22
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. it is now time for action on the budget. Ten weeks ago. the President submitted a budget that was rejectednot by vote. but by expressions of sentiments. publicly and otherwiseby Democrats. many RepublicansSenators. Governors. mayors. and other public officialsthe financial markets. and businessmen across the Nation. The day after the President submitted that budget. I asked him to take it back and resubmit a budget with acceptable deficits. This was a thing I had done before with the President of my own party. Mr. Carter. I suggested that Mr. Carter revise his budget on one occasion. and he did. Five weeks ago. I was directed. by unanimous vote of the Democratic Caucus41 members out of the 46 who attended the caucusto send budget and revenue proposals to the President that. if implemented. would have slashed more than $100 billion from the deficit over 3 years. We Democrats considered these to be important proposals. However. in that regard. we were disappointed that the answer to our correspondence came not from the President but from an assistant to the President. This was not encouraging. I do not even know that the President ever saw the response that was sent to me. I wrote the letter at the direction of my colleagues. and I wrote representing the unanimous vote of the 41 Senate Democrats in the conference. in the spirit of a continuing dialog and cooperation on this vital issue. I believe my Democrat colleagues in the Senate deserved a reply from the President of the United States. not from an aide. Our letter was written to the President in good faith. We felt that we made worthwhile proposals. and we thought thenand we think nowthat the response should have come to us from the President. not from an assistant to the President. Four weeks ago. secret negotiations began between the White House and some Members of Congress. A few days later. the President downgraded those negotiations from "negotiations" to "discussions" and said that his Chief of Staff. Jim Baker. could listen but could not bargain for him. the President. I am certain that every participant in these discussions has been working in absolute good faith and with the best interests of the Nation in mind. Unfortunately. the President has remained on the sidelines. and without him. little may ever be accomplished. None of these avenues has brought a bit of relief to our Nations economy. Meanwhile. thousands of businesses have been forced into bankruptcy. unemployment has reached 40year record levels. and the gross national product. we are told today. has dropped another 3.9 percent. It is my understanding that there will be further discussions this afternoon between Mr. Jim Baker. of the White House. and certain Members of the other body and possibly one or two Democratic Members of the Senateand Senate Republicans. But we cannot afford to wait any longer for the Senate to begin action on this budget. Last week. the distinguished majority leader indicated that the Senate Budget Committee should begin its work by the end of this week. I agree with that assessment. The Senate Budget Committee should meet in the next few days to consider the Presidents budget and all suggested alternatives to It. and the members oh my side of the aisle stand ready to participate in those budget meetings. With longterm interest rates staying at near record levels. we should be exploring every possible way to reduce these astronomical deficits. We may not all agree In every Instance with whatever proposal may be submitted. but at least we ought to be working and voting. We are not voting. The committee is not voting. the Senate is not voting. The Senate Budget Committee must act quicklyand I should say act nowbecause I these talks fail. we will be left later with nothing for all ofir patience except gaping deficits. and even higher interest rates. and additional time lost. The Senate has a constitutional and moral responsibility to legislate. It has a statutory responsibility to report a first budget resolution by May 15. If we miss that deadline. we will face the harsh judgment of the American people. The American people want action. They do not want lines drawn in the dirt. and they do not want to hear high public officials telling one another to "put up or shut up". They do not want just talk. They want lower deficits. not high theatrics. I hope- all my colleagun.. on both sides of the aisle. und stand the urgent necessity to begin action in our Budget Committee at least by early next week. If we do not act now. when the country most needs it and the people cry out for it. I do not doubt that a harsh verdict of the American people this November will be rendered. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the letter I wrote to the President on February 10. 1982. and the reply dated February 17. 1982 S 3886 CO signed by Kenneth M. Duberstein. Assistant to the President. and my letter on behalf of the Demucractic Caucus dated March 16. 1982 t0 the President. and the letter addressed to me under date of April 16. 1982. 1 month later. and signed again by Kenneth M. Duberstein. Assistant to the President. be printed in the REcORD.