[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          IS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? YOU BE THE JUDGE OF THAT

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, before we ponder today's bad news about the 
Federal debt, how about a little pop quiz: How many million would you 
say are in a trillion? And when you figure that out, just consider that 
Congress has run up a debt exceeding $4\1/2\ trillion.
  To be exact, as of the close of business on Wednesday, August 3, the 
Federal debt stood--down to the penny--at $4,640,189,985,631.40. This 
means that every man, woman, and child in America owes $17,798.21, 
computed on a per capita basis.
  Mr. President, to answer the question--how many million in a 
trillion?--there are a million, million in a trillion. I remind you, 
the Federal Government, thanks to the U.S. Congress, owes more than 
$4\1/2\ trillion.

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