The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE BUDGET” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S6643-S6644 on May 12, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE BUDGET
Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, in January 1961, Dwight Eisenhower gave his last speech as President to the American people.
And in those remarks, Ike offered some advice which should be remembered by all of us in the Senate--and all Americans--as the Federal budget moves to the top of our agenda in the coming weeks.
Eisenhower said, and I quote:
As we peer into society's future, we must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, and not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.
It has now been over 34 years ago since President Eisenhower spoke those words. And as everyone here knows, they are words that have been tragically ignored. When Ike left the White House, our national debt stood at approximately $248 million--$248 million. Today, it is $4.8 trillion. And it continues to grow by $355,000 each and every minute--
that is $482 million a day--far more than our entire debt in 1961.
There can be no getting around the fact, Mr. President, that America is at a crossroads, and we face a choice.
Down one road is the status quo.
It is a road that means living for today, plundering the resources of tomorrow.
It is a road that means we continue to mortgage the assets of our children and grandchildren.
It is a road that sentences our country to the future that Eisenhower foresaw--a future as an insolvent phantom.
This is a very easy road to take, because it involves no tough decisions, and no leadership of any kind.
And it is the road recommended by President Clinton, and by many of my friends on the other side of the aisle.
Down the other road is change.
A road that means reversing the spending patterns of the last three decades.
A road that means reducing the rate of growth of Government spending.
A road that allows Congress to rein in the Federal Government, and to return power to the States and more importantly to the people.
It is a road that will be very bumpy, because it will require some tough, tough, tough decisions.
It is a road that requires leadership--leadership that House and Senate Republican majorities are willing to provide.
It is a road that we must take, because it is a road that will result in a stronger America for our children and our grandchildren.
And thanks to the courage and hard work of Chairman Domenici, and his fellow Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee, we now have a map which will help guide us down this road.
In developing a historic budget that slows the growth in Federal spending from 5 to 3 percent a year, and that achieves a balanced budget within 7 years, Senator Domenici and the Budget Committee deserve the gratitude of all Americans.
The Domenici budget reflects our commitment to the American people to rein in the Federal bureaucracy. It eliminates more than 140 Federal departments, agencies, and programs--including the Department of Commerce. In doing so, it moves power out of Washington, and back to the people, where it belongs.
The Domenici budget reflects our commitment to keep Americans safe. It maintains funding for the FBI, the DEA, the INS, and for crime-
control initiatives that aid police on the front lines in the war against crime.
The Domenici budget reflects our commitment to protect Social Security, and to preserve, improve, and protect Medicare.
And it reflects our commitment to maintain a safety net for those in true need, by funding WIC, School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, Head Start, child care, and efforts to track down deadbeat dads.
Senator Domenici should also be congratulated for keeping the majority members together in defeating Democrat amendments to raise taxes, cut defense, or spend more money.
Is the Budget Committee proposal perfect? Of course not. Every Senator--including this one--could find some program they thought needed more money, or others that needed less. But it is a historic document that truly sets America in the right direction.
And I might add that, according to this morning's newspapers, the world agrees with that statement. These press reports suggest that because of speculation we actually might do more than we have in the past to cut the deficit, the dollar staged its biggest 1-day rally in nearly 4 years.
Apparently, this news slipped by the Clinton administration. Despite the Vice President's promise a few months ago that--and I quote: ``We think the task of balancing the budget is one that we have to actually take responsibility for ourselves,'' notwithstanding that quote, the White House has chosen to abdicate a leadership role in reducing our deficit.
The budget they proposed earlier this year, is one that would give us deficits
[[Page S6644]] of $300 billion for as far as the eye can see.
Mr. President, the new Republican Congress promised to make the tough decisions. We promised to fight the status quo. We promised to stand for real change. We promised to balance the budget. And as this budget proves, we are keeping our promises.
And make no mistake about it, at the same time we are balancing the budget, we will also keep our promise to provide real tax relief to America's families.
Let me close, Mr. President, by warning the American people that in the coming weeks, President Clinton and his administration will be trotting out the same old scare tactics they tried before last November's election.
We will hear them say that Republicans are heartless. We will hear them say that Republicans want to help the rich, and harm those in need. We will hear them say that we are targeting children and seniors. We will see them throw a lot of rocks at Republicans. But I am afraid what we will not see from them is leadership.
While they engage in class warfare, the Republican Congress will continue to declare war against the deficit. And with the support of the American people, it is a war that we will win.
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