[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S1963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       SOCIAL SECURITY AMENDMENTS
 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I believe that many senior 
citizens will be confused by the floor debates and amendments on Social 
Security offered last week during debates on the unfunded mandates 
legislation, and in the future in regard to the balanced budget 
amendment. Such confusion is understandable. Both sides tend to claim 
to be protecting Social Security.
  Last week, I voted for Senator Harkin's amendment to the S. 1, the 
Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995, instead of Senator Kempthorne's 
amendment, because I believed that the language of the Harkin amendment 
was much stronger language to protect Social Security trust funds if a 
constitutional amendment to balance the budget is adopted.
  Personally, I oppose a balanced budget amendment, and I hope that 
over the course, of time people will understand how such an amendment 
will affect programs that are vital to the citizens in their States and 
that such a balanced budget amendment will not be added to the 
Constitution.
  But because the fate of a constitutional amendment to balance the 
budget remains unclear, the Harkin amendment is a very important symbol 
of the intention of the Senate not to jeopardize or play games with 
Social Security or use the Social Security trust fund in calculations 
to balance the budget.
  I voted last week for Senator Harkin's amendment which says that 
Social Security should be exempt in any calculations required by a 
balanced budget. I did it to protect the Social Security trust funds 
and to reassure senior citizens who rely on Social Security benefits. 
My record in fighting to protect Social Security and senior citizens is 
clear.


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