[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 31 (Thursday, February 16, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2814-S2815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the joint resolution.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I will be very brief so that colleagues 
will know that we can end the day, especially the desk staff will know 
that they can get home to their loved ones.
  I did want to bring to the attention of my colleagues that yesterday 
in the Budget Committee, when Secretary Christopher was there, 
inadvertently a Republican staff document was attached to part of his 
testimony and was handed out. I might say that it is a very interesting 
document. The document that has been prepared by the majority on the 
Budget Committee shows function 150, International Affairs. It is 
headlined, ``Fiscal Year 1996 Balanced Budget Resolution.'' Down in the 
corner it says, ``For Internal Purposes Only.'' But it was handed out 
inadvertently.
  What I think is interesting about this document is it suggests that 
the majority has a plan to move towards a balanced budget, and I 
commend them for that. I hope they do have a plan. But I would say to 
my colleagues that if they have a plan, then we should revisit the 
question of the right to know provision that we sought to add to the 
balanced budget amendment.
  We sought to add a provision that called on the Republican majority 
to produce their plan on how they intended to balance the budget so 
that the States could be advised of that before they had to vote to 
ratify it, and so that our colleagues who are about to vote on a 
balanced budget amendment could know what was the outline of the plan.
  The Republican majority resisted that right-to-know effort by saying 
they could not say what a long-term plan was because there were so many 
things, it would be hard to determine and hard to project and hard to 
forecast. And yet we find in this document, which was released 
inadvertently, that at least with respect to one function of the budget 
they do have a detailed plan, very specific as to what they have in 
mind; terminating a set of programs, reducing other programs in order 
to reduce the 150 function, which, of course, is the international 
affairs function.
  This suggests at the very least that other functions for other areas 
have a plan, something that is in the works, something that is 
available, that could provide some guidance as to where the majority is 
going with respect to a plan to balance the budget over the next 7 
years.
  I would just say to my colleagues that if in fact there are plans for 
other functional areas, as there clearly is for the international 
affairs section, we ought to have a chance to see it. We ought to have 
a chance before we vote on a balanced budget amendment. The American 
people ought to have a chance to see what the plan is.
  What does the Republican majority have in mind for how they intend to 
balance this budget? I think that would certainly influence some votes 
in this debate.
  Let me just say that I am one Member who is undecided on the question 
of how I will vote on a balanced budget 
[[Page S2815]] amendment. I am not being coy. I am seriously undecided 
at this point. I want to see what is the final provision on which we 
will vote.
  Let me just add that I am absolutely convinced we must balance the 
budget in the next 7 years. It is absolutely imperative that we do so. 
Whether we have a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution or not, 
this Senator believes we have to balance the budget because we have a 
window of opportunity here before the baby boomers retire, at which 
time Government spending will skyrocket. And that will put enormous 
pressure on the economy of this country.
  So we have a chance here in the next 7 years to get our fiscal house 
in order. That must be done. But I have reservations about the elements 
of this constitutional amendment in terms of the provision that would 
provide for looting the Social Security trust fund in order to balance 
the operating budget, the involvement of courts. The last thing I wish 
to see happening is the Supreme Court of the United States writing the 
budget of the United States. No judge was ever elected to do that.
  I am also concerned about the lack of a capital budget. The vast 
majority of States that have a balanced budget requirement provide for 
a capital budget. You can pay for big investments over a period of 
time. That is what State governments do. That is what we do in our own 
personal lives. I know very few people who buy a house for cash. Most 
people take out a mortgage.
  So those are, I think, legitimate concerns. But beyond that, I think 
we also have the question of how we do it. How do we balance the 
budget? And if our Republican colleagues, in fact, have a plan, one 
that they have not released and not revealed--and I think the fact that 
they clearly have one with respect to one function of the budget 
suggests they probably have it for other functions of the budget--that 
is something that could form the basis for an important discussion and 
debate about how we accomplish a balanced budget.
  Let me just conclude by saying I would very much like to see us 
structure a means to require both sides to put down a plan to balance 
this budget simultaneously.
  What is going on is we have a bit of Alphonse and Gaston, the chicken 
and the egg; nobody wants to go first. And I am working on legislation 
now that would require us, if the balanced budget amendment fails, to 
have the budget committees of both Houses and the President put down a 
plan to balance the budget over the next 7 years and to lay it down by 
May 1--have both sides be required to come to the table and lay down 
their plans to balance the budget. It is clear to me now the Republican 
majority is working on such a plan. Perhaps they have one completed, at 
least in preliminary outline. I think it would be very important for 
that to be shared with our colleagues and with the rest of the country 
as we consider this very important matter of a balanced budget 
amendment to the Constitution.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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