[Page H12356]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          WHO IS GOING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET IS NOT THE ISSUE

  (Mr. WILLIAMS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, here is something the national Republicans 
do not want to talk about. The last time they were in charge, under 
former Presidents Reagan and Bush, they passed their budget. You 
remember it, it was called trickle down. The Federal deficit tripled 
last time they were in charge.
  Under President Clinton, the deficit has finally begun to come down. 
In fact, for 3 years in a row the deficit has come down. The last 
President to pull that off was Harry Truman in the 1940's.
  Here is a very remarkable thing: If the Gingrich budget passed, it 
would not reduce the deficit in its first 3 years as much as the 
Clinton budget reduced the deficit in its first 3 years. And Bill 
Clinton did it with equity and fairness, without savaging kids or 
farmers or veterans or old folks.
  So the issue is not who is going to balance the budget. The 
Republicans have proven they do not know how to do it. President 
Clinton has proven Democrats do.

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