Jack Kingston

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the gentleman from Michigan who spoke a few minutes ago brought up the travel situation, because Hazel O'Leary, the Democrat, the Clinton appointee, the Secretary of Energy, spent $500,000 going to Pakistan, $729,000 going to India, $663,000 going to South Africa, not to mention trips, trips, trips, Vienna, Paris, Moscow, all over the world. Mr. Speaker, I think it is incredible that the Democrat Party is not outraged and demanding her resignation so that we can go on to try to balance the budget and get a firm grip on the situation right now, so that we can cut down on the deficit. It is absolutely absurd for her to be spending money like that when Federal employees are out of work because President Clinton will not negotiate, will not come to the table. The gentleman talked about history. I think it is important to bring history into it. Yet, when we talk about our Founding Fathers, we should always be reminded that they did not have a $5 trillion deficit. They would be alarmed to know that we spend $20 billion each month in interest on the national debt. Mr. Speaker, I think we need to pass this. We need to get the Government working again and we need to balance the budget.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the Member from the other side brought up travel. Let us talk about travel. When the Speaker goes on a trip, he is paying for it with his own campaign money. But when your Democrat Secretary of Energy goes on a trip, for example, $660,000 to South Africa, $500,000 to Pakistan, $845,000 to China, $50,000 on the weekly shuttle to Vienna, Moscow, or Paris, or the low-discount rate to India at a mere $729,000. You want to talk travel? Why do we not start with the Secretary of Energy? Because I think it is timely when you are laying off Federal employees because your President will not sign a budget, he vetoes appropriations bills, when his Secretary of Energy could just about single-handedly balance the Federal budget by just cutting out her travel expenses for 1 month.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I think now we can see why Mrs. Clinton apparently wanted to get rid of the White House travel agency; they have a travel expert in the Secretary of Energy, Ms. O'Leary. Listen to these great winter fares: India, $729,000; Pakistan, for a mere half million dollars; China, $845,000; and the new low winter discount, South Africa for $560,000. No wonder the White House does not need a travel agency. These are great rates. I understand, Mr. Speaker and Members of Congress, if you like to travel with your family, your friends, your staff, your associates, the persons you stand next to in the grocery store line, anybody you happen to see on the street, bring them all. They have a fleet of airplanes that used to belong to Madonna or somebody like that, and they can let you fly in comfort with an airplane with stand-up bars, beds, piped-in Barbra Streisand music and everything else in the world. It is a wonderful thing to be doing while the Federal employees are shut out of work because we pay $20 billion each month on interest on the national debt. Mr. Speaker, this is a national scandal. I would say it is time to do the right thing. Resign, Ms. O'Leary; let the taxpayers have a break.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude with this. Our vision is to have a balanced budget. We are not cutting the budget and we are not freezing it. We are increasing spending 3 trillion new dollars over the next 7 years. The President wants to increase it $4 trillion over the next 7 years. We can negotiate that. That is the American part.

Mr. KINGSTON. That is right, and we are debating, along with the 3 trillion new dollars versus the 4 trillion new dollars, we are debating the role of government and releasing power out of the hands of Washington bureaucrats and empowering citizens, friends and neighbors, and putting it on the streets and in the cities and counties all across America. The benefits of what we are doing, if we can balance the budget in 7 years, as Alan Greenspan said, interest rates will go down. If interest rates go down, we will have lower home mortgages, lower student loans, lower car payments, but probably most importantly is that we will have more jobs and more prosperity in the economy. Now, this is a very difficult process. We are going to go through with it. As we started out saying earlier, we believe that it is time. It is timely to get the Federal Government employees back to work. We want to pay those folks who are working. We want to get the ones who are not working back on the job, and we think that is the right thing to do. We want to move that issue from the table, or speaking at least for myself, so that we can get to this focus on the 7-year balanced budget. I am hearing a lot of people saying, of course, I support a balanced budget, but they did not vote for it and they have not cosponsored one. There are Democrats and Republicans who have voted for a balanced budget and have cosponsored one, but there are a lot who have not. I do not believe a Member has the right to come to the well and say they support a budget if they do not have one at this point, because the people of America pay us $134,000 a year not just to criticize what the other side is doing but to bring our own ideas to the table. If Members have their own ideas, they can criticize mine, but if they are just sitting there criticizing without a plan of their own, maybe they should return some of their paycheck permanently. With that, Mr. Speaker, we yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. KINGSTON. Reclaiming my time a second, that is a good point, and that is why our budget goes from $4,800 to $7,100 per person with anticipation of the population increase, $4,800 to $7,100, which again is not a cut. Now, one of the questions is, OK, is that enough? Let me finish now. Is that enough? Well, I can say this, if we do not act to reform, preserve and protect Medicare, the April 3 trustees report has already told us it is going bankrupt. So while we cannot tell you with absolute certainty that going from $4,800 to $7,100 is going to be perfect, we can tell you with certainty based on the trustees report of April 3, 1995, that Medicare is going bankrupt in 7 years.

Mr. KINGSTON. We wanted to touch base also on this tax issue because I think that it is important to talk about it because we have heard so many times that it is a tax break for the rich. Now, President Clinton said as much as President Clinton says anything that he supports a capital gains tax cut. Then, of course, he immediately said a disclaimer, saying, ``I am not sure how much or when,'' or whatever kind of Clintonesque comments he would qualify something with. But let us assume that the capital gains tax cut is OK. So what do we have now that we are giving to the middle-class taxpayers that has horrified so many of the folks on the other side of the aisle that is a tax break for the rich? This is it, a $500-per-child tax credit. Now, who is going to get the benefit of that? Eighty-nine percent of the people who get benefit of that have a family household income of $75,000 or less. Now, look at this, 4 percent of the people who benefit from that have an income of over $100,000. Now, there are Members of this body who like socialists more than they like successful people who have earned and lived the American dream, and I think that is too bad. We need to have successful people in our country, and we cannot constantly use them as a whipping post for all of our frustrations because maybe not everyone knows how to make that money. So 4 percent of the people who are going to get a $500-per-child tax break have an income of over $100,000, and I believe we have capped it anyhow at $110,000 down the road. But, you know, what I am saying, that 89 percent of the people who are going to benefit have a household income of $75,000 or less. Does that sound l ike a tax break for the wealthy?

Mr. KINGSTON. What you are saying is we are repealing the Clinton Social Security tax increase.

Mr. KINGSTON. Let me interrupt you one minute. As I recall, President Clinton increased taxes on Social Security in 1993.

Mr. KINGSTON. If the gentleman from South Carolina wants time, just speak up.

Mr. KINGSTON. I think these are very good questions and they are valid. As you know, Medicare inflation has been 11 percent a year. Regular medical inflation is between the 4- and 6-percent range. What our plan does is try to slow down that increase of inflation and growth or growth due to inflation each year and get it down in the 6- to 7-percent range, which the gentleman knows is what Mrs. Clinton called for in 1993.

Mr. KINGSTON. I appreciate the gentleman's comments. I would be quick to say, unfortunately, it is Members of your party who have linked the two even in the face of their own trustees saying that Medicare is going bankrupt in 7 years. You know what, I was reading an article about President Clinton, who has not had an agenda this year, has finally found a cause to be, and that is the agenda of fear on the old folks, saying that Republicans are going to do all kinds of things to the elderly, as if we do not have parents, as if we do not have grandparents. And so I am glad that the gentleman is forthcoming, and I will say this, that I was asked by a reporter the other day, ``Well, isn't the balanced budget going to be an election issue if you do not solve something?'' And I said it is going to be an election issue whatever happens. And it was in 1994, it was in 1992, it was in 1990, and it will continue to be, as will all Federal Government spending.

Mr. KINGSTON. Reclaiming my time, let me make correct the terminology to the degree that we are not taking money out of that. What that $270 billion figure represents is the projected growth at the 11-percent inflation rate range, and for us to have private sector inflation rate in the 4-percent range and public Federal health care and Medicare at 11-percent range is totally inefficient. What we want to do, as a way to reduce that growth rate, is to increase the competition and replace that 1964 model with a 1995 model which will save and protect and preserve Medicare.

Mr. KINGSTON. I am always happy to yield time to the distinguished weightlifting gentleman from Hawaii.

Mr. KINGSTON. I guess since the Democrats voted for that social security tax increase, that is why they do not want to vote to repeal it?

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I have with me the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Sanford]. We are going to talk tonight about the situation with our Nation's budget and our national debt. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] is also going to be speaking with me. I think the first thing that we wanted to do, Mr. Speaker, just to get off the issue of reopening the Government, because that is very important, we are talking real people, real jobs, real mortgages, real paychecks and real grocery bills, and so forth. Speaking for myself, I want to get these folks back to work. So, I am in favor of trying to get the Government up and going again, get these folks back on the job, and yet at the same time, I do not want to back down from the 7-year balanced budget. But having said that, I hope I can erase as many of the Democrat comments as possible. Mr. Speaker, I would yield now to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, here is a certificate, a Federal Reserve note, that was sent to us, and I believe all Members of Congress, Democrat and Republican, got it from the Old York Foundation. What they said, this was done in the name of the late Seymour Durst. I am not familiar with him, but what he said is this is a $5 trillion note. Every Member of Congress has this $5 trillion note for a $5 trillion debt that we are passing on to our children and our children's children, and we will continue to do so if we do not do anything about it. What the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Sanford] says is that 1994 was an election not so much to throw the bums out but an election to stop politics as usual, as you have said. I think it is important for us to think about the size of our national debt and just a couple of numbers that are absolutely terrifying. This is the number as of November, $4,984,800,213,988.31, and it increases at a rate of $2,207,000 each day, which the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Thornberry] says is enough to buy McDonald's Big Mac extra value meals for every person in the United States and in Mexico. He goes on to say that with the annual budget of about $4.6 trillion, we as a government spend $4.4 billion each day, each day that we are here, which the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Thornberry] points out that this is $50,736 each second. That is what the Federal Government spends. These numbers are important because the debate here is about Government spending. That is what we are debating. We are debating the size of government.

Mr. KINGSTON. It is always far easier to increase spending, add 3 or 4 percent, 10 percentage points each year and just keep on spending. That is why this process this year is so difficult and so long. But generally speaking, we are trying to increase the Federal budget 3 trillion new dollars over the next 7 years, and the President wants to increase it $4 trillion over the next 7 years, so we are debating $3 trillion versus $4 trillion directly in new growth. We are not cutting and we are not freezing the budget. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, would my friend yield for 30 seconds?

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the gentleman's attitude, and I would be open to work with you guys on that. I think a lot of people on our side of the aisle would. I also want to say that I am one of those who think that we should get the folks back working. Let me say this: Would the President accept that coalition budget? Because one of our reluctances is that if we pass that, will the President stand behind it?

Mr. KINGSTON. If the gentleman will yield, I want you to know that I believe that there is a lot of room for discussion on that. I do not pretend to represent all Republicans on this, but I know that there are many who would like to work with you on it. Again, the concern is, could we do it as a veto-proof measure if the President will not go along with a bipartisan budget. Would you have any feel for that?

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. The previous speaker and all the others, they all voted against the override. If you wanted to get this birthday party done, you want to help these people out, why do you not vote for the bills? It is that simple. The President has vetoed Interior, which would open national parks; the Justice Department; Commerce VA; HUD; EPA. These are all real things that would have opened the government. And yes, there is plenty of time to continue debating these issues and these spending levels. If you did not like this year's appropriations, go for it next year. Try to put in more money. We know you like to spend. But the President had vetoed these things and we have not seen yet a counterproposal. That is what we have been looking for since November a counterproposal. What I do think is I share your concern about the furloughed employees. I want them to go back to work. I am not against a CR. But what I wish is that you would have the same urgency about the $20 billion a month we are spending in interest on the national debt. This money is going to be paid for by your children and my children. Let us show them the same compassion you pretend to show other groups.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and wanted to make some points that we have heard a lot of speeches about let us reopen the Government. I want to say to my friends on that side of the aisle, I think there is certainly a good argument for it. We are talking real people, real paychecks, real mortgages, and so forth. I think we need to address that. I wish they would also have equal fervency to the debt they are passing on to children. If a baby is born today, he or she owes $187,000 as his or her part of the interest on the national debt, $187,000 above and beyond local, State, and Federal taxes. Now, you know, you talk about compassion. What about the legacy of debt which people do not seem to be worried about passing on to kids? What we are hearing is, of course, ``I supported a balanced budget.'' Well, they do, but not every one of them voted for it. You know, here is, we had the ``yes'' votes from Geren, Hall, Montgomery, and Parker when we had the Balanced Budget Act, so from the side over there we only had four ``yes'' votes. That is fine. A lot of them are saying, ``Well, I support the coalition budget.'' I would say, if you support the coalition budget, then that is very good, too, and that is progress. But there is still a lot who do not support the Republican budget or the coalition budget and are coming down here saying, ``Of course, I support a budget.'' Well, where is it? Hello? The budget negotiations are going on. Go ahead and put your budget in any time now. We want to get the Government working again. We want to reopen it. But you cannot do it when you have got one side who will not come to the table. So I think it is very, very important to say, OK, you know, let us try to get beyond the Federal Government, you know, and the shutdown, and let us get back to the balancing of the budget. We have a debt right now that is almost $5 trillion. We spend $20 billion each month in interest on the debt, and I hope that we see some of the urgency that we are seeing on, you know, reopening the Government, I hope we see the equal urgency on let us balance the budget. I think we should have both. I think we should get the Government reopened. But I think we should rush most importantly to balance the budget. I hope our friends would see that. I know the gentleman from Texas wanted us to yield some time. I do not control the time, but if the gentlewoman would yield, what I would say is we often yield to you but do not get yielded back. So if we do, if the gentlewoman decides to yield to you, I would appreciate it if you would reciprocate back and let me have some of your time so that we can have a dialogue if that is what the gentlewoman desires.

Mr. KINGSTON

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to respond quickly to my friend from Ohio, and I think it is important that we recognize that, yes, it is true nothing like this debate has taken place, and yet if our Founding Fathers were here today, they would say, wait a minute, let me get this straight, we are almost $5 trillion in debt; we spend $20 billion each month in interest on the debt; if a child is born today he or she owes $187,000 as his or her portion of the interest just on the debt, above and beyond local, State and Federal taxes? I think our Founding Fathers would be shocked and appalled that we are even negotiating a 7-year balanced budget and not an immediate balanced budget. This is a tremendous moment in history that we have got to address, and I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.