Fayette County's U.S. representative had harsh words for President Bill Clinton this week.

Confronted with the president's claim that a 1 percent budget cut will result in extensive military layoffs, Rep. Mac Collins, R-Hampton, expressed disbelief. “Like many Georgians, I am extremely frustrated when an honest attempt by the Republicans to protect Social Security funds with a 1 percent across the board cut is met with dishonest partisan rhetoric,” Collins said this week.

“President Clinton claimed the 1 percent reduction will force a cut in 70,000 men and women in the armed services,” Collins said. After ten years of continuous military spending reductions, most of which were under the Clinton Administration, Congress this year increased military spending by 11 percent, Collins said. “Even with a 1 percent reduction, we are looking at a 10 percent increase. Somehow, the president claims a 10 percent budget increase will result in massive personnel cuts. That does not add up.”

After the cut, the defense bill was $4.5 billion more than the president's own request, Collins added. “If we had simply passed the Clinton-Gore defense request, defense spending would be 1.6 percent lower than it is right now, or, in other words, lower than it will be after the 1 percent reduction.”

“You did not hear the president claiming his own earlier budget request would have led to massive military lay-offs, so when you hear his attacks, remember that the president is playing loose with the facts for political gain,” Collins said.

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