[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S29]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            WAS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? THE VOTERS SAID YES

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I doubt that there have been many, if any, 
candidates for the Senate who have not pledged to do something about 
the enormous Federal debt run up by the Congress during the past half-
century or more. But the Congress, both House and Senate, have never 
even toned down, let alone put an end to, the deficit spending that has 
sent the Federal debt into the stratosphere and beyond.
  Mr. President, we must pray that this year will be different, that 
Federal spending will indeed be reduced drastically. Indeed, if we care 
about America's future, there must be some changes.
  You see, Mr. President, as of the close of business yesterday, 
January 3, the Federal debt stood--down to the penny--at exactly 
$4,798,116,945,333.39. This means that on a per capita basis, every 
man, woman, and child in America owes $18,213.73 as his or her share of 
the Federal debt.
  Compare this, Mr. President, to the total debt about 2 years ago, 
January 5, 1993, when the debt stood at exactly $4,167,872,986,853.67--
or averaged out, $15,986.56 for every American. During the past 2 
years--that is during the 103d Congress--the Federal debt increased by 
a total of $630,243,958,749.72.
  This illustrates, Mr. President, the point that so many politicians 
talk a good game--at home--about bringing the Federal debt under 
control, but vote in support of bloated spending bills when they get 
back to Washington. If the Republicans do not do a better job of 
getting a handle on this enormous debt, their constituents are not 
likely to overlook it 2 years hence.


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