Latham lauds budget success

This is going to be an “historic” day in Congress, according to Iowarepublican Tom Latham. The congressman from Alexander says he expects thefinal appropriations bills will be approved today.Latham says the republican-led Congress is proving the liberals wrong whosaid the budget couldn’t be balanced without delving into Social Security orraising taxes.The federal government has reported a 122-point-seven billion dollar surplusfor its 1999 fiscal year. The Treasury Department says the record surplus isthe largest ever in total dollars and percentage of the nation’s economy.