LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
DO NOT USE WETA credit/Sponsor Credits
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Title sequence
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Paul Duke, Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer in studio. On program: Reagan wins another fight in Congress over the budget; Legislation on Alaska pipeline, Addressing concerns of Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Linda Wertheimer intro report on House debate over "continuing resolution" appropriations to keep the government running.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts ), in debate. Argues that Reagan is intransigent, Congress has to work to get a budget that Reagan will approve. All of us remember the drama, the disappointment of the conference of the last continuing resolution and the veto. We worked hard for a compromise, but we failed. Did we learn anything? What we should have learned is that we re dealing with a President, his advisors who have a sense of will and determination, that this town has not seen since the early days of the Johnson administration. This President means what he says. He will not be bluffed and he will not sign a bill that falls short of the minimum savings that he said that he will accept. Shots around the House & different representatives standing at podium. Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts ) the Chairman s resolution will run for the full year. My resolution will run until March the 31st, 1982.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Shot of Tip O'Neill at top of rostrum in House, gavels House to order. Representative Jamie Whitten ( D - Mississippi ), arguing in debate that giving in to Reagan would mean that Congress is abdicating its power. I think if you support the substitute, you will have transferred to the executive branch, full control and taken our body out of business.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Representative William Natcher ( D - Kentucky ), arguing that the Reagan proposal cuts too many social programs. Mr. Speaker, Refugee Assistance, he wants to cut 13 million. Social Security Administration expenses, he wants to cut another 106 million. Head Start, he wants to cut 19 million dollars. Mr. Speaker, this bill has had all of the cuts we can take. This is the bill that is closest to the hearts of the people in this country.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Representative Bob Walker ( R - Pennsylvania ), argues that social programs have increased in cost faster than any other government programs, should be trimmed. The gentleman has given us a pretty good litany of all the social welfare spending that you all have put into action over the last few years. Aren t these the same exact categories that over the last 25 years have risen in cost by 1500%, while the federal government s spending as a whole has gone up 700%, more than twice the rate of the federal government s spending. Representative William Natcher ( D - Kentucky ), says those programs most important to people. I wouldn t agree with the gentleman on 1500%, but let me say (Walker tries to interrupt) It s on my time now. Let me say to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, there have been increases in these programs, and my friend there ought to be increases in them. I won t agree with you on your percentage. But I ll say to you they have increased. These are the programs that are closest to the hearts of the people in this country.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts ), says that Congress has to support a bill that will become law, accepts cuts. I want more than a People s bill. I want a People s Bill that s going to become law. That s right. I want a People s Law today. The gentleman s bill is $33 million greater than the continuing resolution, that we slaved over 23 hours a day for days with the Senate. $33 million greater than the vetoed continuing resolution. It cannot become law. Representative Sidney Yates ( D - Illinois ) in debate, says Conte s bill is not "the people's" but "the President's". Your bill, Mr. Conte, may I say, is the President s Bill and not the People s Bill. I suggest that the People s Bill is the bill that s been filed by the gentleman from Mississippi. The whole argument seems to me to be a ridiculous one. The gentleman has said if his bill is passed, the President will sign it. If Mr. Whitten s bill is passed, the President will not sign it. Thus, the President proposes to veto a bill, even though there is only a difference of a billion and a half dollars between the two bills and instead of having a deficit of 109 billion dollars at the end of this year, you ll have a deficit of 107 and a half billion dollars. Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts ), When you say This is the President s Bill Representative Sidney Yates ( D - Illinois ), You said it was the President s bill because you said when your bill comes in you re going to offer higher levels for these various programs. Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts ), I m only saying and I said it there, that I ve spent all of last week during the recess Representative Sidney Yates ( D - Illinois ), I was here too. Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts) Well I know it. I m not saying you weren t here. I hope you enjoyed yourself. Representative Sidney Yates ( D - Illinois ), I hope you did too. Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts) No I didn t. I spent the whole 7 days, hammering out and coming out with the compromise. And finally they said that they would go along with it. Representative Sidney Yates ( D - Illinois ), It s the President s bill. Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts), Well it s a compromise bill. It s probably my bill.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Representative Silvio Conte ( R - Massachusetts ), I know that we ve had a long and arduous session here in the Congress. And nerves are frayed at this point. Everyone wants to get home to their constituents, to their loved ones back in their districts and their families to spend Christmas. Mr. Speaker, I can guarantee you, that if this continuing resolution substitute which saves a billion, 700 million dollars in budget authority, is not accepted, we ll go to the Senate. From there we ll go to conference. The gentleman from Mississippi is an artist at this. He loves it. He gets up there until 2 or 3 o clock in the morning. And those Senators, They love to pontificate and they go until 2 or 3 o clock in the morning. And we will be here on the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th. Cancel your airplane flights. Well, maybe you don t have any reason to go home, young man from Texas, but I do. I have my grandchildren and I want to go home and see them. Representative Jamie Whitten ( D - Mississippi ), gets a humorous jab at Conte s reputation as a big mouth. Quite interesting to see my friend from Massachusetts, with whom I work so closely describe a pontification and the ability and the likelihood for the Senate to have lots of talk. It s kind of unusual for him to notice that in someone else. General shots of the House in session. VO discussion of the final vote count.
LAWMAKERS December 10, 1981 - Budget Debate
Paul Duke, Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer in studio discuss the budget fight between Reagan and Congress. Attempts by White House to argue in the press that Deficits and Balanced Budgets aren't really important (now that the deficit is huge).