[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 17 (Friday, January 27, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       PROPOSING A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

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                               speech of

                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 25, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. Res. 1) 
     proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of 
     the United States.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of House 
Joint Resolution 1, the balanced budget constitutional amendment.
  It is always with reluctance that I support legislation to amend the 
Constitution of the United States, the greatest document of democracy 
the world has ever known. Its greatness is measured by the fact that it 
has been amended so few times before in our Nation's history.
  However, Congress after Congress has proven that it lacks the fiscal 
discipline necessary to balance the Federal budget and begin to reduce 
the growing national debt, which approaches $5 trillion. Gimmick after 
budgetary gimmick has failed to get our Nation's fiscal house in order. 
Without a willingness to cast the tough vote after tough vote required 
to bring Federal revenues and expenditures in line, a constitutional 
amendment is the only means left to instill in future Congresses the 
discipline necessary to bring about a balanced Federal budget.
  Three times this decade we have fought this battle to amend the 
Constitution, and three times we were defeated by those refusing to 
face up to our current bleak fiscal plight. In 1990, we failed by just 
11 votes to pass a balanced budget amendment at the same time our 
national debt reached $3 trillion. Two years later, we failed by just 
10 votes to pass this constitutional amendment, as the national debt 
passed $4 trillion. Last year we tried again, but fell 19 votes short 
as the national debt climbed to $4.7 trillion.
  Our Nation cannot afford for this House to fail again today. With the 
passage of this amendment, we can look forward to the day when we begin 
to retire the national debt, not add to it.
  One of the demands of the American people last November 8 was that 
Congress force the Federal Government to live within its means. This is 
the first of 10 legislative promises we made to the American people in 
our Contract With America.
  Already we have delivered on our commitment to reduce the cost of 
running our own House, eliminate the number of congressional committees 
and staff, and make our proceedings more open and representative of 
those we are elected to serve. Earlier this month, we also enacted the 
Congressional Accountability Act, legislation that is now the law of 
the land which forces Congress to live under the same laws as every 
other American.
  With the passage of the balanced budget amendment tonight, we will 
tell the American people that we are serious about reversing the tide 
of red ink that threatens to cripple our economy under the weight of an 
annual mortgage payment on our national debt that will exceed $339 
billion this fiscal year. This is just the interest alone we pay on the 
national debt we have accumulated since the birth of our Nation.
  The enactment of a balanced budget amendment would leave Congress 
with no choice but to begin the difficult task of cutting Federal 
spending which is the secret to eliminating deficit spending. It was my 
hope that the amendment requiring a three-fifth's super-majority for 
passage of any future increases in taxes would have passed to insert 
greater fiscal discipline on Congress by reducing the incentive to 
raise more revenue rather than cut spending. It should be obvious to 
all that the Federal Government does not tax too little, it spends too 
much. Annual deficits of $300 billion should also make it obvious that 
Congress always spends whatever revenue it raises and a whole lot more.
  Unfortunately, the amendment we consider tonight that affords us the 
greatest chance at passage requires a supermajority vote to spend more 
than we take in any one year and to raise the debt ceiling, but only 
requires a simple majority vote to raise taxes. Still, the balanced 
budget amendment is a strong enough tool, as we have seen in each of 
the States that requires their annual budgets to be balanced, to 
restore order to our budgetary proceedings.
  It is my hope that our colleagues in the other body will act as 
expeditiously as we have in the first month of this 104th Congress to 
send to the President and untlimately the States this constitutional 
amendment that is supported by a large majority of the American 
citizens.
  In the meantime, it is time for this House to turn its attention to 
making the hard choices and cast the tough vote after vote that will 
get us on track to deliver to the American people a balanced Federal 
budget. My colleagues and I on the Appropriations Committee have 
already begun the task of scouring the 1995 Federal budget for savings 
we can return to the Federal Treasury and programs that we can 
eliminate to reap future savings.
  Mr. Chairman, it will take a two-thirds vote tonight to pass this 
constitutional amendment. It is my hope that we are successful in 
passing this important plank in our Contract With America.
  We need to remember that the tough votes to cut Federal spending 
begin in just a few weeks and will continue for month after month, and 
year after year until we succeed in our goal to achieve a balanced 
Federal ledger. All that is required, however, is a simply majority of 
this House to have the courage to make these votes that will turn our 
fiscal tide.
  Tonight will be more than a symbolic victory. It will be the 
launching of a long and difficult but very necessary campaign to begin 
chipping away at our national debt and at the same time restoring the 
faith of the American people in their elected representatives. We must 
be up to the task this night and every day and night until our job is 
complete and future generations are relieved of the burden placed on 
them by past generations of unchecked Government spending.




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