John Tanner

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, it is a personal privilege to rise, and have spread on the pages of the Congressional Record, an article about my good friend, Dr. Howard Johns of Huntingdon, Tennessee. The article adequately describes Dr. Johns' many sterling qualities, as well as his dedicated and distinguished service to Carroll County. I would be remiss not to add that my late father-in-law, Mr. Billy Portis, and Dr. Johns were close personal friends for over 50 years. Mr. Billy and Dr. Johns both served as Carroll County Commissioners, and both were active in the Democratic Party. Dr. Johns attended many of our family functions, and, in fact, he has been almost like a member of our family. So it is with pride and pleasure that I include a profile article about Dr. Johns that was published recently in The McKenzie Banner and reprinted below. Dr. Johns is a distinguished Tennessean and I am proud to call him my friend. [From the McKenzie Banner, Oct. 20, 1999] Dr. Howard Johns--Retired Veterinarian, Active Civic Leader (By Deborah Turner) Summers spent in rural Georgia on his grandfather's farm are among the favorite memories of Dr. Howard Johns, retired doctor of veterinary medicine in Huntingdon. Nestled in a tiny town consisting of two stores and a service station, his grandfather owned a racehorse farm, and Howard got to help with the animals while visiting from his hometown of Eatontown, Georgia. He enjoyed feeding, washing, walking and brushing the beautiful, spirited horses which were trained to pull the two-wheeled carriages, called sulkies, in which one man rode to drive the horse in racing. He was the middle child of five children: 2 older brothers and a younger brother and sister. His brothers accompanied him in his visits to the farm, where cows, mules and other animals were raised as well as racehorses. Together, the boys got into plenty of mischief during the visits, but what Howard enjoyed most was riding out with his grandfather on visits to other farms. His grandfather was a ``quack veterinarian'', doing what he could to help sick or injured animals in his community. It was because of his grandfather's influence that Dr. Johns decided. ``I'm going to be a graduate veterinarian; I'm going to go to school.'' World War II intervened when, at age 20, Dr. Johns joined the Air Force as a mess sergeant serving in the Pacific theatre, traveling to New Guinea with rotation to Australia. Finally able to make his dreams come true at the end of his tour of duty, there were only six schools in the nation teaching veterinary science. Sixty slots were available at Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn; Dr. Johns was chosen from 1500 applicants and began his studies. Unfortunately, his grandfather did not live to see him become a graduate veterinarian, passing away after Dr. Johns completed pre-veterinary school. In 1949, as a licensed veterinarian, Dr. Johns came to Tennessee to practice. An avid duck hunter, he came here ``looking for ducks,'' he said, and he found them. He dated Judith McConnell for a year and a half before tying the knot in marriage. Over the years, the couple had 4 children; Judy's child, also named Judy, came into the marriage from Judy's earlier relationship; the couple had two more daughters, Kathy and Johnny Beth. Their son, Howard, Jr., affectionately known as Bubba, was tragically lost at the age of eight when he slipped on some hay, falling from a truck as it rounded a corner. Upon arriving in Carroll County, Dr. Johns set up his clinic in a room at the Carroll County Co-op building, where he remained for a year and a half. Although there were several persons practicing as unlicensed vets, Dr. Johns brought a learned element as the only educated veterinarian in the area. Through the Co-op, Dr. Johns met many farmers and built his practice. He moved into a new clinic on Main Street, where the beauty shop ``Snips and Curls'' is now housed. There he was able to establish an animal hospital, where around the clock medical care could be provided. As time went on, Dr. Johns saw much evolution in veterinary medicine. When he first began his practice, he saw more large farm animals than small animals. Later, people began taking better care of their pets, and didn't mind spending a little money to keep them healthy. Another change was drive-in service, when farmers and large animal owners began bringing their cows and horses to the clinic in trailers for treatment. Even more has happened in advancements in the science since his retirement 12 years ago, according to Dr. Johns, with better drugs being developed, creating more options for treating diseases. Before the advent of life savings drugs, ``We treated symptoms, that's all we could do with the drugs we had,'' said Dr. Johns. Common in those days were outbreaks of ``black leg'', caused from a bacteria that enters the muscles where gasses form, capable of killing a calf within two days. The bacteria is found in the soil, and once there it remains, although the advent of vaccinations now prevents recurring breakouts. Another common infection in earlier years was stomatitis, an infection caused by fungus growing on the grasses. When eaten, the mouth becomes infected, rendering the animal unable to eat due to the soreness of its mouth. Many of the advancements made in veterinary medicine are the result of research. Dr. Johns feels strongly that animal research is necessary and beneficial to the many animals cared for across the United States each year. Dr. Johns worked long, hard hours in order to provide care to the animals in the county and surrounding areas. Farmers arising very early to milk cows would call him early in the day, while people returning from work in the evenings would call after they got home. He remembers taking the children with him in the car to make house calls on Christmas Day. Asked if he enjoyed his work despite the hardships, he replied emphatically, ``I certainly did; I loved it.'' His practice included some oddities with mistakes of nature occurring in a two-headed calf he delivered, which survived a month, as well as siamese twin calves which were stillborn. Upon the birth of the two-headed calf, the lady of the house asked how long it would live. He predicted it would live about a month. Though it was cared for and bottle fed, it was never able to rise to its feet and died a month later as he had predicted. ``She thought I was real smart,'' said Dr. Johns. It took 3 hours to deliver the siamese twin calves; with forefeet and hind feet mixing together to be delivered from the birth canal, it took Dr. Johns some amount of confusion before he realized what was going on. It was 10:00 in the evening before the job was complete. ``That was before we got married and I took my wife with me that night. She had worked till 10:00 and went to sleep in the car. I woke her up and said, `Come in here and look at this thing. You've never seen anything like it, and I haven't either, and don't expect to ever see it again.'' One Sunday his nephew accompanied him on his rounds. In a typical year Dr. Johns handled around 250 deliveries, but on that day there were an astounding 7 deliveries in which his assistance was required, three of them on the same farm at different times during the day. After witnessing the birth of several calves, his nephew asked, ``How do the claves get up in there?'' Dr. Johns replied, ``The cows are just lying around out here and the calves are running around and just run up in there.'' On their third visit of the day to the farm, Dr. Johns recounted, with a hearty laugh, that his nephew told the farmer, ``You're going to have to separate your cows and your calves; we can't keep coming back here all afternoon.'' Dr. Johns retired 12 years ago, 2 days before his 65th birthday, in order to care for his wife, who was ill with cancer. ``I stayed right here with her and never missed it a day,'' he said regarding the transition from his work to caregiver. In 1986, his wife lost her fight with the disease, although her personality may still be seen in their home. Among many feminine touches, an embroidered plaque proclaims, ``I know I'm efficient; Tell me I'm beautiful.'' Dr. Johns has had his own share of health concerns, undergoing two successful bypass surgeries; one in 1982 and another in June, 1998, as well as surgery for prostate cancer. He was back delivering calves a month after the first operation. He tires more easily since the last bypass, however, it hasn't prevented him from being an active participant in life. Dr. Johns has led a busy retirement full of community involvement, being honored many times over in his leaderships capacities. Most recently, he was awarded a Leadership of Carroll County plaque, in recognition of commitment to the leadership of Carroll County and completion of a leadership program. Dr. Johns is the oldest Carroll Countian ever to complete the program, which entails many physical feats involving teamwork in their accomplishment. Other honors Dr. Johns has received are as follows: President of Tennessee Veterinary Medicine Association 1955; the Silver Medallion Award awarded by the County Court in 1980; Carroll Countian of the Year in 1992; 21 Years as County Commissioner in 1996; 1998 Outstanding Citizen Award for Community Service; 16 Years on the Carroll County Electric Board from 1982-1998; 6 Years on the Huntingdon City Council; past Board of Directors of Farm Bureau; past Board of Directors for Carroll County Live-stock Association; past Board of Directors of Carroll County Co-op; presently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Bank of Huntingdon and the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Johns is a Member of the First Baptist Church in Huntingdon. Of his involvement in the community, Dr. Johns said sincerely, ``The people of Carroll County took me in and this was home the next day after I got here. Carroll County and the surrounding counties have been home for 50 years, because I've been here for 50 years now. They gave to me and I wanted to give some of it back to them.'' In addition to his community involvement, Dr. Johns enjoys reading and ``piddling'' on his farm where he raises cattle, all of which are offspring of cattle he has raised over the years, and two horses which belong to his grandchildren. Dr. Johns takes much pleasure in the role he plays as ``butler'' at the Cedar Wood Bed and Breakfast owned by his friend, June Crider. The large colonial home that houses Cedar Wood is also available for weddings, parties, and club meeting. Dr. Johns' daughter, Kathy Whitehead, is a nurse at the Huntingdon Hospital; Johnny Beth is a teacher of health occupations at the Vocational School in Huntingdon, and Judy is a health facilities surveyor for the Tennessee Department of Health. He has 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I do not come down here and do 1-minutes very often most of the time, I think most of the people that listen to these agree, that it is hurling insults back and forth across this table here, and that is not very constructive. But what I did want to come down this morning to say is that the Blue Dogs offered a budget last April. We are in a mess. We are into November. There is still no agreements in sight. There is a blame game going on here about who wants to spend Social Security money. That is not very constructive. We ought to stop that, stop the blame game, and get into the Blue Dog budget or something similar and do something constructive for the country for a change. That is what we were sent here for. That is what I hope we can do in the future for the people that we represent and for our kids and grandkids.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I would like to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood) about the underlying intent of the bill. Is it the intent of the sponsors to permit claims to be brought against independent insurance agents who work with employers in helping to select a plan?

Mr. TANNER. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. TANNER. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman. It is an important clarifying position, and I wanted to make sure that the omission of specific legislative language in section 302 could not be interpreted to permit a claim against an independent insurance agent if that agent is not involved in the making of any actual medical care decisions.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Commander Arthur J. Ohanian, United States Navy. Commander Ohanian will retire after 20 years of distinguished and superior service to our country. In his most recent position he served as the Manpower and Personnel analyst for the Programming, Planning and Development Branch, Chief of Naval Operations Staff. A P-3 Instructor Pilot, Commander Ohanian served in a number of leadership positions in the fleet, including the Commander Naval Education and Training Mobil Training Team. He also served in a number of different positions within squadrons deployed in the Mediterranean. Commander Ohanian is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal. Again, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to extend my best wishes to Commander Arthur J. Ohanian. May you continue the success you have enjoyed and thank you for your faithful service from a grateful Nation.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I have been over in my office listening to some of this rhetoric, and I was not going to come over here, but let me just say this. I could agree with almost everything that the Republicans have said were it not for the fact that there is not a $3 trillion projected surplus. There is only a $1 trillion projected surplus. Because all of us have agreed that $2 trillion of that $3 trillion is Social Security money and ought to stay in the Social Security System or retire the national debt. I could agree with almost everything that has been said were it not for the fact that we have a $5.6 trillion debt, a $3.8 trillion hard debt. Now, to ask us to take 80 percent of the on-budget projected surplus over the next 10 years and obligate it now is something that I do not think any prudent business person in this country would do. And, furthermore, I was thinking about this. This bill, if we want to call it that, is asking basically for me to say to my children, I am going to go buy a new car, but, Mr. Banker, when I borrow the money from you for that car, I am only going to pay the interest on it. And when my children become 21, send them the bill for the car. Or I am going to buy a house, but, Mr. Banker, I am only going to pay the interest on it. Send the price of the house, the money that I borrowed to buy the house, send the bill for it to my children when they get to be 21. We are not against tax cuts. We had in our budget a $250 billion piece. That is a pretty sizable sum. But let me tell my colleagues how irresponsible I think this is and how far the American people are ahead of us on this. When they have got an $800 billion tax package that has got something for almost every citizen in this country in it, and they cannot sell it and they cannot override it, they know it is irresponsible. The American people know that it is irresponsible, and that is why I am glad the President did what he did.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, Bill Williams understands what community journalism is all about: ensuring an informed citizenry. And he practiced that kind of community journalism in the pages of the Paris Post-Intelligencer every day. Now at 65, he has decided to retire as publisher of the Paris Post- Intelligencer on August 20, 1999. He had been the paper's publisher since 1978, when he took his father's place at the paper's helm. Bill took seriously the responsibility that comes with a free press, and you knew it immediately when you read his editorial page. Whether it involved the Land Between the Lakes, the Tennessee Valley Authority, State government, or even national issues, Bill Williams stood up for his community and he wasn't afraid to take a controversial position when he believed it was the right thing to do. Indeed, in 12 of the past 21 years his editorials were recognized among the best in the state. Bill's family has owned the Paris Post-Intelligencer since 1927, when his great grandfather, W. Percy Williams moved to Paris from Alabama and purchased the P-I. Upon his retirement, Bill Williams said he ``is very proud of the newspaper.'' It's safe to say that the citizens of Henry County and many beyond the county's borders are proud of Bill and his commitment to this community. His son, Michael Williams, takes over as the fourth-generation publisher and will continue the tradition of community journalism that has made the P-I an award winning newspaper. An article published in the Paris Post-Intelligencer in Paris under the headline, ``Publisher bill Williams steps down; Has been with P-I most of adult life'' as well as his last column are printed below in honor of Bill's service and commitment to his community. Publisher Bill Williams Steps Down; Has Been With P-I Most of Adult Life With the retirement today of Bill Williams and the promotion of Michael Williams, The Post-Intelligencer will have a fourth-generation Williams as editor and publisher. Bill Williams has been with the paper most of his adult life and has been publisher since 1978. His son, Michael, 40, who has served as editor since 1992, will add the duties and title of publisher. Bill Williams, who turns 65 today, became editor and publisher at the retirement of his father, Bryant. Bryant Williams in turn had taken over as publisher at the retirement in 1967 of his father, the late W. Percy Williams, who had come from Alabama to purchase The P-I in 1927. Bill Williams said Thursday he ``is very proud of the newspaper.'' ``I tired to see that it's been a good citizen of our community,'' he added. He said that even though it's no fun dealing with an irate advertiser or a reader who thinks he's been wronged in the newspaper columns, he ``never seriously considered doing anything else.'' While attending Atkins-Porter and Grove High schools, Williams was a paper carrier. During his high school years, he also worked as a reporter after school, on Saturdays and during the summers. After graduating third in his high school Class of 1952, Williams went on to graduate with honors as a journalism student at Murray State University. During his summers, Williams took a break from his college work to be a reporter for the P-I. Throughout his college years, Williams was also a member of The College News staff. He was named the outstanding journalism student during his senior year. After graduating from college, he was a reporter for the Memphis Press-Scimitar for a brief period, then for The Tullahoma News for three years before he returned to Paris in 1960 to become The P-I's news editor. One of the things he said he enjoyed about his work was that at the end of each day, he was able to hold a paper in his hands and say, ``Here's what we did today.'' ``It's also a joy to hear from people who used to work here and have gone on to do well in the newspaper business or elsewhere, and heard them speak fondly of their time at The P-I,'' Williams said. ``You feel like you had a small part to play in making someone's life a little more complete.'' Williams also added he appreciated the contact he had with people both inside The P-I building and out, and that he enjoyed meeting people and being involved in various activities. ``Not every job offers that opportunity,'' Williams said. The P-I has won awards and honors while under Williams' guidance. His editorials won state press awards in 12 of the past 21 years, including the best single editorial in 1998. That editorial lauded U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., for his controversial vote against a constitutional amendment to outlaw flag-burning. A 125th anniversary edition of The P-I, published in 1991, won first prize in contests sponsored by the University of Tennessee and the TPA. Those judging the entrants declared it the best daily newspaper promotion in Tennessee during that year. ``This is an exceptional service not only for the reader but for the entire community, present and future,'' a contest judge from the Washington State Press Association commented about the anniversary promotion. ``Many newspapers do something similar, but none with the depth and attention to detail so evident in your entire project.'' Williams has served as president of the Tennessee Press Association and of the Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors. He was a founding member of the board of directors of the Mid-America Press Institute. In retirement, Williams said he plans to stay involved in civic activities, including the Optimist Club, where he's past-president; the Heritage Center, where he's past- executive director; and the Presbyterian Church, where he's an elder and Sunday school teacher. He added he and his wife, Anne, also plan to do some traveling--``possibly snow birding to Florida or Texas in the winter.'' They also have three daughters, Cindy Barnett and Joan Stevens, both of Henry County, and Julie Ray of Clarksville; and 11 grandchildren.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and simply say this. I think the American people are ahead of the Congress on this. I think they know instinctively that we cannot have debt reduction, save Social Security, save Medicare, take 80 percent of a projection over the next 10 years and cut taxes today. It is called a free lunch, a bridge in Brooklyn, or any way we want to paint it. The American people know we cannot do all that and they are ahead of us on that. The comment was made earlier in the debate about this, that if we keep the money, any of it, the bureaucrats will spend it. The last time I looked, a bureaucrat cannot spend any money unless we have 218 votes on that board. All my colleagues can well remember the government shutdown. Nobody here can spend money or authorize money but us. So what do my colleagues mean when they say if we keep the money the bureaucrats will spend it? That is patently untrue. The other thing I would like to do is quote one of the leaders of this tax bill today regarding a comment made in 1996. ``It is about our Nation's debt. Our debt stands at over $4.9 trillion then, now it is $5.6 and growing. For a family of four, their share is $72,000, increasing each week by $89, each month by $383, and each year by $4,594. Sometime, some day, someone has to pay that debt, and that someone is today's younger workers, their children and their children's children.'' Now, I asked in a motion to recommit last week just to take half of this projected $1 trillion on-budget surplus and give it to the children. That was rejected. So when we say give it to the people, are kids, nonadults, are they not people too? They are the ones that have to pay this, not us. Everybody within the sound of my voice under 35 years old ought to insist that we take at least half of it and split it with them. It is the honorable thing to do.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding career of Captain David W. Walton and express my appreciation for his twenty- six years in the service of this great nation. Captain Walton, who last served as Director of Supply Corps Personnel, was awarded a number of decorations and commendations over his career, including the Legion of Merit (3), the Meritorious Service Medal (3), the Navy Commendation Medal (2) and the Navy Achievement Medal (2). Again, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to extend my best wishes to Captain Walton. Captain Walton, may you always know the success you have enjoyed during your years in the United States Navy. On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your faithful service.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, first and foremost William H. ``Bill'' Collier is a gentleman who represents the finest traditions of public service and generosity that so many Tennesseans hold dear. I was privileged to serve in the Tennessee state legislature with Rep. Bill Collier for four years from 1984 to 1988. For six years after I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, I represented several communities that also had the good fortune to be represented by Bill Collier during his service in the state legislature. He retired from the state legislature in 1994 after a distinguished career dedicated to public service on behalf of the people of Humphreys and Benton Counties. Just last month, a section of Highway 70 in New Johnsonville was named for Bill Collier. That action was not only fitting, but also well deserved for a man who was committed to public service. It doesn't hurt that the bypass at Waverly was built largely because of his perseverance. And that's not all that can be said about Bill. He is also one of the finest auctioneers Middle Tennessee has known. Bill Collier, his wife, Patricia, their three children and two grandchildren are a tribute to the values we as Tennesseans consider so important and we wish him the best. An article published in the News-Democrat in Waverly under the headline ``Collier Looks Back at His Career'' is printed below in honor of Bill's public service and dedication to his family. [From the Waverly (TN) New Democrat, July 9, 1999] Collier Looks Back at His Career (By Grey Collier) Work to become, not to acquire. This quote by Elbert Hubbard in Monday's Tennessean might be best exemplified by Humphreys County native William H. (Bill) Collier. Collier, who last weekend was honored by having a section of the newly-widened Highway 70 in New Johnsnville named for him, has long worked for the good of his home county. Collier promised to try and get the bypass in Waverly when he ran for the state representative in 1984. ``We got the first three phases in Waverly funded,'' Collier said. ``Then we realized we needed to get it through New Johnsonville.'' Upon entering his first term in the state legislature, Collier went to bat for the county immediately. ``I was in a meeting and an aide come to ask if he could do anything for us,'' Collier said. ``I told him I wanted an appointment with Gov. (Lamar) Alexander.'' At the time, there was a recession going on and Consolidated Aluminum had closed. ``I told him about the shape Humphreys County was in and that we needed a bypass to bring in business,'' Collier said. ``He told me I was the first freshman (new representative) who spoke with him so candidly and he was going to help me,'' he said. Soon after, Alexander made a visit to the county and plans were announced for the bypass. ``Our last conversation before (Alexander) left office was about the bypass,'' Collier said. ``He said, `Bill, the money is in the budget for the bypass, don't let anything happen to it'.'' Collier was successful in getting on the transportation finance ways and means committee which was also a big help in getting the bypass financed and built. ``John Bragg was the committee chairman and told me he had heard all he wanted to about `that bypass','' Collier said. ``I told him he would stop hearing about it when it was built.'' The completion of the by-pass is one of Collier's favorite accomplishments, but there are others as well. He acquired a $250,000 grant for factory building in the Waverly Industrial Park and a $50,000 grant for a feasibility study of the state park in New Johnsonville. ``Those are the three things I am most proud of,'' Collier said. ``But I have to attribute all of my accomplishments to the good help I had from local leaders and other politicians--especially Sen. Ben. Riley Darnell.'' Collier did not run for reelection in 1994 due to health reasons. That ended his 10 year tenure in the legislature and a 22 year political career. A Humphreys County native, Collier was born in the Big Richland community. He was employed with TVA for 10 years as an iron worker and foreman. In 1957 he attended Reppert Auction School and began working part time as an auctioneer and real estate agent. ``I felt TVA and went full time as an auctioneer and real estate agent in 1960,'' he said. His office was located on Main Street. At that time there was only one other real estate office in Waverly. How times change. Since then he has not only conducted hundreds of auctions, but also took part in training a few. ``Governor Buford Ellington appointed me to the auction commission over west and part of middle Tennessee for five years,'' Collier said. He was also an instructor for five years with the Nashville Auction School. ``I have five auctioneers at Collier Realty and have taken an active part in training all of them,'' he said. He worked alone for three years before Gene Trotter came in as an auctioneer and Shirley Rochelle as a real estate agent. Nancy Trollinger worked as Collier's secretary for 20 years. When he entered the legislature he took on Kenneth Dreaden as a partner so that he could devote more time to his political office. In 1967, Collier married Patricia Fowlkes Collier. They have three children, Greg Gunn of New Johnsonville, Allyson Haggard of Okeechobee, FL, and Daniel Collier of Waverly. He has two grandchildren, Connor Gunn, 6, and Mollie Collier, 3. These days you are most likely able to catch him at the office where he still goes daily. Otherwise, he is likely to be sitting on the front porch swing, sharing Diet Coke and peanuts with his granddaughter.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. In its present form, I am, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, earlier today in the debate there was some conversation about what Chairman Greenspan would or would not do. Just a few minutes ago, I am told, he testified in response to a question about this tax cut bill that quote, ``I remain where I was the time I appeared before you and the time before that. The reduction that occurs in the Federal debt as a consequence of reducing the debt is an extraordinarily effective tool for a good economy; it moved interest rates lower, the cost of capital is lower, it led to expansion of economic growth. Therefore, as I said before, we must let the surplus run. If I was asked what our first priority should be, it would be to let the surplus run and reduce the Federal debt.'' Mr. Speaker, during the debate today, we have really come a long way. The President, the Republicans, the Democrats, the Congress, the Senate, even, we have come a long way; but this debate today is about what to do with the $792 billion that is involved in this tax cut. It is us versus our children and grandchildren. And why do I say us? It is because we, particularly those of us over 40, have benefited from the consumption on borrowed money over the last 25 or 30 years, but it is our children and grandchildren that have the most to lose today. I did not sleep particularly well last night, and in my fitfulness I envisioned that I was part of the majority and voted for this Republican bill. I was proud of this vote, and I went home to back- slapping at the civic clubs and standing ovations at the political rallies. People told me how proud they were of me, and I really felt great about myself. But then this theme changed and I found myself at a grade school back home, a young fellow with a cowlick came up and said, Mr. Congressman, you are an important guy, you take good care of us and our country. My classmates and I appreciate Congress and the President agreeing not to spend the Social Security Trust Fund anymore. We hope you can live up to that. Mr. Congressman, I know we don't have a lobbyist, we don't have a PAC, we can't even vote. All we have, Mr. Congressman, is you and your fellow Members to look out for us. We know you grown-ups work hard and need a tax cut and we want you to have one. But sir, could I ask you, would you just split the surplus with us? Would you just give us half? We know our future is tied to the amount of debt America owes and the interest we know we will have to pay during our adult years on that debt. Would you just split this $792 billion surplus with us? I said, No, kid. I need 80 to 90 percent of it. You are right, I am important. I have the power to take it for myself. I can take the money and run. Look, kid, life is not fair, and the sooner you learn that, the better. And then, Mr. Speaker, I woke up. I was not quite so proud of my vote. I was not even proud about anything I had done. He did not have a lobbyist, he did not have a PAC, he could not vote. All he and his friends have is us, Congress people. Well, little buddy, you might not have a lobbyist or PAC, or you cannot vote, but you are just as important part of the American family as any adult in this country. So when we say, let us give it back to the people, little buddy, you are one of the people and one of the most important, because you are our big future. Split with you, you ask? I am proud to split it with you. It is the least I can do. That is why we offer this motion to recommit. Give them half of this $792 billion. Pay it on the debt. That little boy and our kids' future may well depend on it.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I came here this morning hoping that I could have voted for a tax bill that was reasonable. All of the rhetoric we have heard this morning, basically dealing with the surplus, is about a projection. It is not about a fact. In fact, 6 months ago, part of the money we are talking about spending today was not even here. It was created by rewriting the projection of what is going to happen. This is fact. This has happened. These are the deficits that we ran during the 1980s and 1990s, resulting in this national debt that we, the American people and our kids and grandkids owe. That is not a projection, this is not a guess, it is not a hope, it is not a wing and a prayer, it is a fact. In a few minutes we are going to have a motion to recommit. All of us, the President, the Republicans, the Democrats have agreed to take the Social Security money surplus off the table. The motion to commit in a few minutes is going to focus only on this trillion dollar surplus, on-budget surplus, having nothing to do with Social Security surpluses, that we have in front of us that we have been spending over and over again this morning. I want my colleagues to listen to it, because what it says is, let us not only put 100 percent of the Social Security money aside for future generations, but let us take half of this money we are talking about spending today and put it to our children, to their future financial obligations. Everybody in here knows, if they are honest with themselves, that simply by taking the Social Security surplus and paying that on the publicly-held debt, we do not lessen the financial obligation of the next generation by one red cent. It is $5.6 trillion then; it is $5.6 trillion now, and it is $5.6 trillion tomorrow. By simply doing that, we do not do anything. The motion to recommit is the only way to pay down the debt.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Mr. TANNER

Mr. TANNER. What I think we have done is we have taken the Nation's credit card and we have maxed it out. Now all we can do are make the interest payments, and we are going to leave to our children, son or daughter, ``I'm going to give you a credit card. What I'm telling you though, is, it's going to take everything you're making just to pay the interest on what I have already consumed. The suit I've bought and put on the credit card is worn out. The meal that I had at one of these fancy restaurants is eaten, it's gone.'' And so we have maxed out, instead of taking the money that we see maybe as a surplus now and doing what I think is a pretty good thing, that is paying what you owe, where I come from, where you come from, that is considered poor form really if you come into money and you owe a fellow and you do not pay him. We owe our kids and grandkids. Instead of spending it now, I think we ought to pay them.

Mr. TANNER. Money is money. It does not matter where it comes from. If it goes, it goes. My colleague is right.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I would just say this. Both of my colleagues all have done an excellent job talking about this problem. But it does not take a lot of sense. We talk here in Congress and our eyes glaze over with all these projections and numbers. If we have a trillion- dollar projected surplus, we cannot take 87 percent of it and cut taxes today and then meet the needs of defense, education, health care, veterans and so on. We cannot do that. People know that. I think the American people are way ahead of us quite frankly. If anybody believes they can save Social Security, that we can do all the things we need to do with the military and veterans and education and health care, then there is a bridge in Brooklyn that is going to be sold pretty quick. They know better. They know we cannot have it all. And so, I hope that without regard to the numbers that make us glaze over, people know that we cannot have it both ways. So I would like to call on the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Minge) who helps the Blue Dogs with our budget, and he is going to talk a little bit I think about the budget priorities that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) mentioned.

Mr. TANNER. We did some calculations in the committee and if we could keep the United States Government out of the credit markets, keep the government from borrowing money, operate on an even keel, it is estimated that that would mean a two point difference on mortgage rates. Now, on a $115,000 home with a mortgage, that translates directly into the pockets of those homeowners almost $2,000, a little over $1,900 a year that is money that they are not paying on their mortgage, they are getting to keep. Not only that, it makes housing more affordable, it makes automobiles more affordable. What does all that do? It keeps the economy going. And so if we could keep the government from borrowing money, and let me say this while we are talking tonight. I think it is incumbent upon us to tell the people of this country that we want to pay the debt that we all collectively owe, that we have all consumed, we did not spend it, I was not here in the 1980s but we benefited from the increased consumption in some way and did not pay for it. If we could just say to them, we want to pay what we owe, we want to pay your children and mine and our grandchildren, but we are going to also tell you we are not going to engage in a lot of new, unnecessary spending, the Blue Dogs make that promise as well, because that would not do anyone any good. So for those who say, ``Well, we cannot keep it here, it has got to be spent,'' I know of no compelling force to spend money around here. You have to vote to spend it the last time I looked. You have a voting card and you vote to spend it. Well, it goes both ways. And so we want to keep the money here and pay it on the debt, not spend it. I think that would be a message that all of us could embrace here tonight.

Mr. TANNER. I want to thank the gentleman for those comments, Mr. Speaker. I come from Tennessee, in a rural area, and if I just knew what the price of cotton or soybeans or a bushel of corn is going to be next week, I would be in pretty good shape. We do not know that, yet we are talking about 10-year numbers here, which as the gentleman suggested, may or may not materialize. Let me say one other thing before I recognize the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), and that is that the term personal responsibility does not just apply to people on welfare. We have a responsibility here to try as best we can to keep the financial integrity of this country in at least as good as shape as it was when we got here. I do not believe it is financially responsible, as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) said, to base a massive tax cut on nothing more than a projected surplus. I do not think any prudent businessperson in America would say that they think that is a financially conservative doable thing and they wish we would do it. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to ask my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) to say a few words. We have also been joined by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Minge). This looks like a Blue Dog gathering down here.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) for that very interesting special order. This is, I think, the first time I have asked for a special order in the 10 years that I have been in Congress. So my colleagues can readily see this is not something I do routinely or every night. My colleagues, I hope, can understand why I feel so deeply about the matter about which we are going to talk about here for a few minutes with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner). There has been a lot of talk in this town around the country of a surplus. There are projections of a huge surplus over the next decade, and many people are running around with all sorts of ideas about how to spend it. But what really upset me last week was the mark-up that we had in the Committee on Ways and Means on which I served and in which this surplus, 87 percent of the nonSocial Security surplus for the next 10 years, was marked up in a tax cut bill. Now, one of the reasons I ran for Congress in 1988 was because of my concern for the financial integrity of the United States. I am going to show this chart. I do not know if my colleagues can see it or not, but this is the way the country spent money from 1980, when I was in the Tennessee General Assembly, until now, and how we either paid or did not pay for what we spent. The yellow part here is the administration of President Nixon. The green lines are President Ford. The yellow-red lines here are President Carter. The orange looking lines are President Reagan. This aqua green is President Bush. Then down here on the end, the dark blue lines is the administration of President Clinton. I saw through the 1980s, as my colleagues did, a Republican President submit to, for 6 of the 8 years President Reagan was President, a Republican Senate and a Democratic House budgets that were never within $100 billion of being balanced. I saw the Congress, Republican Senate and Democratic House, in collusion with the administration, borrow the money necessary to fund those budgets. When I came here in 1988, we were borrowing in the name of our children and grandchildren over $250 billion a year to pay for the consumption that people of my generation have enjoyed. I thought that was wrong then, and I think it is wrong now. This is what it looks like on a bar chart in terms of building the national debt. In 1980, it was a little less than $1 trillion. Today, it is over $5 trillion. Now, my colleagues might ask, who owns this debt? Who do my colleagues and I, we the people, who do we owe this 5 plus trillion dollars? Well, we owe the Federal Reserve and government accounts; that is, the Social Security Trust Fund and some other trust funds, about $2.3 trillion. We owe other people in the country a little over $2 trillion. Foreigners hold over $1.2 trillion of this debt, foreign interests. So if we take away the money that we the Treasury, we the people owe to ourselves, we come up with about $3.6 trillion in outside held debt that we are paying interest on every day. Put another way, we spend more on interest, or spent more on interest, this is fiscal year 1998, we spent more on interest right here, $364 billion, than we did on any other government program, save Social Security. Social Security is $379 billion. But it has its own funding stream, the FICA tax. We spent more money on interest than we did on national defense, which is right here in green. More than we did on medicine, and we heard the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske), the previous speaker, talk about medicine in this country, the orange right here. Agriculture, we can barely see, the little green line. We spent more on interest than we did education, than we did veterans. In short, we spent more on interest last year, almost $1 billion a day than we spent on anything that my colleagues and I can do for our children's future today. Now, part of this projected, and I want to underline the word projected, none of this money is here yet that they say is going to come into the Treasury from 2000 to 2009, this is the Social Security surplus, the blue. This is what the Congress and the President have agreed is off limits. We will not spend that. The red, $1 trillion is what is projected to come into the Treasury as a surplus over the next 10 years. Now, mind you, 6 months ago, part of this money did not exist. It is only through reforcasting what we think the economy is going to be in the next 10 years that this has grown to the extent that it has. The money is not yet here. I do not know what the unknowns out there are. We may have a war, tornados, hurricanes, other natural disasters. This is only a projection that, as it changed 6 months ago, could change 6 months from now and this money never show up. Now, here is why I was so upset last week. Here is the Social Security money in blue. That is off limits. That is for the people in this country who pay into the system and who expect to earn and draw their Social Security benefits when they retire. That is off limits. What is available, if one believes the projections, to spend or to cut taxes with is this part right here. Do my colleagues know what happened last week? Knowing of this horrendous suffocating debt that our children and grandchildren have, the majority party in the Committee on Ways and Means reported out a bill, I guess it will come to the House this week or next, that spends 87 percent of this projected surplus in terms of a tax cut. Now, nobody is against tax cuts. Certainly not me. But I will tell my colleagues, I think this is irresponsible from two standpoints. Number one, the money is not yet here. If it does not materialize, if the economy turns south, it may never get here. So to use 87 percent of it in tax cuts today betting on what is going to happen tomorrow I think puts our financial Treasury and our financial integrity as a Nation at risk. But it is worse than that, and this is why. We have a suffocating national debt. The interest that we pay every day is more than we pay for defense, it is more than we pay for education, it is more than we pay for anything save Social Security. By spending all the money now that is projected as a surplus for the next 10 years, all we are doing is shoving this note and all the interest due on every schoolchild in this country that went to school today. They do not even know Congress met today. They were in school somewhere; or, worse yet, they are not even here yet. And all we are doing is shoving down all of these notes and this debt for them to pay. I think that is wrong. When we take 87 percent of the budget surplus that is projected and use it now to satisfy our own immediate desires for a tax cut, what is the message from this Congress to the kids of America? We took the money and ran. That is the message. Tom Brokaw, some of my colleagues know, has written a book called ``The Greatest Generation,'' and I have received some letters from some of those folks and they say, ``John, if I must do without, so be it. I don't want you to send this suffocating debt down on the heads of my kids and grandkids. They deserve a better Nation. You are putting the country at risk, you, the Congress, if you take all of this projected surplus, do an almost $1 trillion tax cut today and do nothing about the debt.'' I think it is not only selfish and wrong, but I think it could really endanger the future of this country. Because if the world economy collapses, if there is a downturn, if there is a recession, and if interest rates go up as we have to roll these notes, what is going to happen to the interest on them? It is going to have to go up, too. And right now we are already paying almost $1 billion a day. How much more can we stand before we have to say this country is in such bad shape we can no longer pay our bills? I think it is as serious a situation as we have faced or experienced. Because I know that a country that is bankrupt is unable to defend itself, it is unable to help its citizens, and it is unable to be a force for peace in the world. Mr. Speaker, I want to now yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), because he has some comments he would like to make regarding this projected surplus.

Mr. TANNER. I called it a generational mugging in the committee the other day, and I believe that is what it is. I believe it is a generational mugging that we are taking money now and, as I said earlier, taking the money and running instead of paying what we owe on behalf of our kids and grandkids.

Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues very much, and I want to thank you all for coming, and I want to thank the folks here for staying around and listening to us, and I think maybe we might ought to do this again sometime with some more charts, not to glaze people's eyes over, but just to tell them we believe that we ought to pay our debts first and then have a responsible tax cut as well as bolster our military, our health care system, our education system through what we said we would do for our veterans and for our agricultural sector that is in real trouble. Mr. Speaker, with that I want to thank my colleagues.