[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 23 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S2150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          WAS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? THE VOTERS HAVE 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 Congress, both House and Senate, have never up to 
now even toned down the deficit spending that sent the Federal debt 
into the stratosphere and beyond.
  We must pray that this year will be different, that Federal spending 
will at long last 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 Friday, February 
3, the Federal debt stood--down to the penny--at exactly 
$4,804,726,503,001.28. This means that on a per capita basis, every 
man, woman, and child in America owes $18,238.82 as his or her share of 
the Federal debt.
  Compare this, Mr. President, to the total debt a little over 2 years 
ago--January 5, 1993--when the debt stood at exactly 
$4,167,872,986,583.67--or averaged out, $15,986.56 for every American. 
During the past 2 years--that is, during the 103d Congress--the Federal 
debt increased over $600 billion.
  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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