Inflation, federal spending. and budgetbalancing command considerable attention in Congress these days. Major action and debate generally make the wire news. But mini-speeches and “extensions of remarks” by the legislators often go unreported. They’re serious topics and most speakers treat them that way. But some inject a bit of humor or get in a political lick or two. Both styles are noted in the following, gleaned from recent House sessions as reported in the Congressional Record. Rep. Charles Pashayan Jr. (R., Calif.) lamented that congressional spending policies put heavy financial urdens on future generations. “Mr. Speaker,” he said, “that may well have been necessary in 1932 when we had a crash in this country. However, this kind of financing we cannot hope to continue forever e must retum to a sound fiscal policy of spending no more money than what the govemment takes in. ‘1 have before me House Resolution 55 in which more than 140 members have committed themselves to balancing the 1981 budget, as the Congress promised to do in Public Law 95-435, passed in 1978 …” Rep. Carroll Campbell Jr. (R., S. C.) noted that Julius Caesar favored ”rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” Unfortunately, Campbell observed, “the majority in this Congress seems to want people to render unto Washington everything they have. Taxes in fiscal 1981 will represent the highest peacetime tax burden ever.” He quoted the Joint Commana. em ‘I’–atlas.- na aa”. family of four will be paying ”17.5 percent of their income into the federal coffers,” and said U. S. News & World Report estimates an average state tax bite of another 12.8 percent. Further, the hidden tax increases caused by rampant inflation are creating an ever-worsening situation …” A Republican majority in Congress would provide relief from the tax trend, he asserted. Rep. Robert E. Bauman (R., Md.) had some advice for House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) 0’Neill (D., Mass.) who was quoted in the press as conceding he was “out of step with my own party” as many Democrats call for balancing the budget. “Well, Mr. Speaker,” goth Rep. Bauman, ”if e balanced budget has sunk-. Al-.-oa.-I. A. n.- ..puny you ty, WMU ILINWS what is next: limited govemment, lower taxes, increasing individual freedom?Y’ He added: ”1 do not think the gentleman from Massachusetts should be out of step with his party. One sign of leadership is finding w ich way the troops are going and then getting out front. We welcome our Speaker and his troops to our side of the aisle.” A Democrat, Reg Andrew Jacobs Jr. of diana, couldn’t let that pass without a rejolnder: “If it’s true that the Speaker said he was out of tune with his party, it might also be pointed out that this is not a party of martial imusic where we must all march to the same step,” said Jacobs. i “Whether the Speaker is mma most members or nls mir? would say that Il s rish way, he emits the slweetest music this side of Millicent H. Fenwick, Republican congresswoman from New Jersey, conceded she didn’t often rise to speak ”in a partisan spirit,” but she decried ”what is happening in our country.” People are desperate, she said. “‘1’hey feel the whole fabric is crumbling. They have no confidence that the people in authority know what they are doing, whether in foreign affairs or economics …’ Inflation is out of control, Mrs. Fenwick charged. “One man wrote me: ‘For the first time in my life I had to take my savinigs to live on and I am now own to $2,7.50. That is all I have left.’ ” Concluded the law-” maker: ”We have had in this House uninterrupted Democratic control, and, it is true, you have voted money as thought it camefrom great piles of autumn tems um mu be picked up and scattered broadslde over this whole country. We have got to stop it.” Rep. Jamie Whitten (D., Miss.), chairman of the appropriations committee, strongly advocated lncreaslog production and a halt to surging interest rates. H ” ence convinces me that If we worked to keep interest rates reasonable; and the Envlronmeml Protection Ag its counterpartclln the 50 states had lmlted themselves to ithose things dangerous to human health – instead of going all out to eradicate the merely undesirable we would today be using more coal and developing our own oil and other sources of power and would not be dependent upon the OPEC countries. While we all agree that we must move toward a balanced budget, it is my view that the major problem is to increase productivity, production. and income.” Rep. Herbert E. Harris I1 (D., Va.) said thattoget inflation under control, Congress must reimpose controls on energy costs. “Allowing oil prices to rise to the so-called market level when that level is dictated by the OPEC nations in an open invitation for price gouging bythe big oll companles.” Rep. Harris also urged enactment of his bill to establish an independent oil import purchase authority, and cal ed for reduction of federal spending l.l’Il’0l;-El; eliminating waste in budget and subjecting all govemment programs to review. A California Republican, Rep. John H. Rousselot, said a recent projection of an 18 percent annual inflation rate prompted “the administration and several congressional Democrats” to leap aboard the balanced budget bandwagon. Rousselot said be welcomed these “born-N again budget balancers” into the fold. “However, I do not welcome their plrrlposals for balancing the get with tax increase pal for by the American taxpayer …” Rep. Ralph S. Regula (R., Ohio), noting reports that President Carter was seeking ways to control federal spending and lnflation, offered this counsel: Use the presldentlal veto or the threat of it. Regula said the veto – a tool provided in Article I, section 7, subsection 2 of the Constitution “worked extremely well for President Gerald Ford” and helped hold the inflation rate at the time he left office to 4.8 percent. “It might be useful to President Carter if he has the will to use it …”