[Page H11553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  BUSH TRYING TO SHOW FISCAL DISCIPLINE WITH CHILDREN'S HEALTH BILL--
                          RHETORIC VS. REALITY

  (Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, President Bush and 
congressional Republicans know they have a perception problem with the 
American people when it comes to being fiscally responsible.
  The fact is, they inherited a record surplus from President Clinton 
back in 2001, and over the next 6 years they turned that surplus into 
record deficits. In fact, it's so bad that President Bush has the 
distinction of borrowing more money from foreign nations than all of 
his 42 predecessors combined. That is not a record to brag about. And 
so now the President and some Republicans are attempting to wipe away 6 
years of fiscal mismanagement by opposing a bipartisan bill that would 
provide quality health care coverage to 10 million children.
  The problem is, the bill that they are opposing is completely paid 
for. You see, when we took over the House in January, we restored pay-
as-you-go rules so that we could finally tackle our Nation's deficit. 
The bipartisan children's health care bill would not add one cent to 
our Nation's deficit. And House Republicans need to realize that this 
bill is bipartisan for a reason.

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