81.   He inherited from his immediate predecessors, Ronald Reagan and George Bush, a staggering federal deficit and retired from the presidency with the largest surplus in American history.

82.   He was an outspoken foe of big government who watched the federal deficit balloon to record levels during his eight years in office.

83.   He maintained that he was the most fiscally responsible member of Congress, voting for cuts that would reduce the federal deficit.

84.   He promptly indicated he might have second thoughts today about some of those votes, cast during a period of federal deficits rather than an era of Treasury surplus.

85.   His priority back then, he explained, was to reduce the huge federal deficit that loomed over the federal government.

86.   His other best shot at making a major statement in the United States went south with the federal deficit.

87.   His remarks complicated prospects for a bipartisan deal to eliminate the federal deficit even as the two sides prepared for a big push to reach agreement this week.

88.   However, he made no specific comment about whether a CPI fix should be made this year by Congress to help reduce the federal deficit.

89.   If it does not, the Bush administration plans to sell it to the highest bidder to help with the federal deficit.

90.   In addition, hospitals are bracing for cuts in the Medicare and Medicaid programs as Congress and President Clinton grapple with federal deficit reduction.