April 1, 1977
Page 10124
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the bill before us today, H.R. 4877, supplemental appropriations for fiscal 1977, consolidates supplemental recommendations from 12 of the 13 appropriations subcommittees into a single bill involving 14 of the 17 functions of the Federal budget. This bill and the economic stimulus supplemental, reported on March 17, will probably be the two major supplemental appropriations bills for fiscal 1977. This supplemental provides 1977 budget authority of $32.1 billion to fund numerous items, most of which could not be included in the regular appropriations bills last summer, such as the increased civilian and military Federal pay costs; the EPA construction grant reauthorization, which passed the Senate on March 10, and is presently awaiting conference; the emergency fuel bill assistance program necessitated by this winter's severely cold weather; and certain higher education and health programs which were not reauthorized in time for inclusion in the regular Labor-HEW appropriations bill for 1977.
As chairman of the Budget Committee I would like to bring to my colleagues' attention the latest issue of the Senate Budget Scorekeeping Report No. 7718, dated March 28, 1977. That report estimates that the potential status of the Federal budget, including the amounts in this bill, the Senate-reported economic stimulus supplemental and tax reduction bills, and a few other possible later requirements, is $2.4 billion in budget authority and $1.5 billion in outlays below the ceilings set in the third budget resolution for fiscal 1977. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to place in the RECORD a table indicating the status of the congressional budget
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
[Table omitted]
Mr. MUSKIE. I want to commend the Appropriations Committee for reporting a bill which will leave the committee $2.9 billion in budget authority and $1.9 billion in outlays below the committee's allocation, even after all possible later requirements are taken into account. The Appropriations Committee has once again demonstrated its ability to help the Senate live within the congressional budget, and I urge my colleagues to assist further in that effort as we debate this supplemental and the economic stimulus supplemental that may come to the floor in the near future. There are several amendments to the bill before us today, amendments that may use up a good part of the funds potentially available under the budget ceilings. I ask that Senators consider the budget situation and other possible future spending they may have in mind as they decide on the amendments to this supplemental.
I understand that amendments aimed at alleviating the problems of the Western drought, if adopted, could add $700 million to the budget authority in this bill. Other possible amendments of which I am aware could add another $450 million. I know some of my colleagues are interested in adding substantial funds to GNMA, possibly as an amendment to the economic stimulus supplemental. And, there is a possibility of a second regular supplemental appropriations bill later this year.
While I believe that the amendments to aid in the Western disaster relief are essential to the economic health of that area and the entire Nation, I cannot in good conscience support any other costly amendments to this bill. Simple arithmetic, the kind that we learned before the days of the new math, clearly shows that the amount which remains below the ceilings of the third budget resolution is unacceptably low. If we subtract the $700 million in budget authority for the drought amendments from the $2.4 billion of unclaimed budget authority which remains in the resolution — assuming enactment of this bill, the economic stimulus supplemental and possible later requirements — the available budget authority for the last 6 months of the fiscal year is only $1.7 billion. Only $1.7 billion.
Mr. President, this is a dangerously low margin. The situation is extremely tight. The Congress cannot and, I believe, should not entertain any additional amendments which could drive us closer or even over the current ceilings. We must be very prudent in our actions today and in the days ahead, for I assure you the Budget Committee plans no further revisions to the budget resolution.
Mr. President, I urge the members of the Appropriations Committee and indeed all the Members of this body to reject amendments to this bill which will shrink the limited budget authority that remains in the third budget resolution. There is barely enough room to cover a second regular supplemental.
Let me be quite plain, Mr. President.
Without serious restraint on the part of every Member of Congress we will erode the very foundations of the budget process. Without diligent efforts on the part of every Member of the Senate we will be on a direct collision course with the binding ceilings of the third budget resolution. The Congress has adopted a fiscal policy for 1977. We must make it work if we are to achieve the fiscal discipline that the voters of my State and yours expect of us.