Radio Address to the
Nation on the Reform of the Budget Process
My
fellow Americans:
The
campaign season is behind us, and it's now time to get down to business here in
Let's
look for a moment at what happened this year. For more than 8 months the
process dragged on, with Congress failing to send to me any of the
appropriations bills I needed to keep the Government running. It came down to
the deadline, the day the Federal Government would simply run out of money, and
there was still no budget. Instead, as has happened so many years in the past,
we got what is called a continuing resolution, a grab bag full of
special-interest projects that never would have made it into a real budget.
This was the first time in history, however, that every single appropriations
bill for the whole United States Government was dumped in one wagon. I was
given a half-trillion-dollar spending bill on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.
Well, we insisted that some of the most flagrant abuses of the budget process
be taken out, such as language that would have undercut our position at the
arms reduction talks in Geneva, language that would have very likely have made
our progress in Iceland all but impossible. Other provisions that would have
hurt vital defense needs were also eliminated. Even so, you can bet that tucked
away in that half-trillion-dollar bill was enough waste to run several small
countries for many years.
There
are many in the Congress who are unhappy with the way
the budget process works. In the crisis atmosphere surrounding these continuing
resolutions, all sorts of wasteful spending programs and other measures that
never could have survived a thorough and thoughtful debate can sneak through.
My friends, I agree this is no way for the
You
know, our Founding Fathers considered the power of the purse the most important
responsibility of the legislative branch. If that power is abused, it can have
very serious consequences for our nation, not only threatening our prosperity
with huge budget deficits but, ultimately, undermining the economic foundations
of our safety and national security. And that's why we must start now, while
the memory of this year's budget fiasco is still fresh in our minds, to reform
the budget process. We must redouble our efforts, on both sides of the aisle,
in a spirit of cooperation to improve the budget process. There are a number of
solutions to this problem, and I will outline other recommendations at a later
date. The balanced budget amendment and the line-item veto are a good place to
begin. The American people overwhelmingly support a balanced budget. And the
balanced budget amendment lost in the Senate early this year by only one vote.
When Congress reconvenes next year, that amendment should be foremost on their
agenda. The line-item veto can also be within reach of next year's Congress. No
other single piece of legislation would so quickly and effectively put order
back into our budget process. All it would mean is that the President could
selectively sign or veto individual spending items, that
he wouldn't have to take the fat along with the meat. Forty-three Governors
have the line-item veto. I had it when I was Governor of California.
You
know, when we first started talking about tax reform, a chorus of naysayers arose telling us it couldn't be done. But we
stuck to our guns, and with your support and a bipartisan coalition in Congress,
we did it all right: The most profound, progrowth tax
reform this nation has ever seen is now the law of the land. Well, the same can
be true with budget reform. There are always people in this town telling you
why something can't be done. But I've got one good reason why budget reform can
be done, and that reason is you, the American people. And that's why I believe
Until next week, thanks for listening. God bless you all.
Note: The President spoke at