[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 39 (Thursday, March 2, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S3374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DEFEAT OF THE BALANCED BUDGET CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, this has not been a good day for the 
United States. I cannot imagine any piece of legislation that could 
have been offered in the Senate which would do this country more good 
than this balanced budget amendment which was defeated today, defeated 
by one vote.
  Mr. President, we cannot keep on as we are. We have not balanced this 
budget but one time in 32 years--eight times in 64 years. How are we 
going to change it? We are putting a burden on our children and our 
grandchildren that is unbearable. It is not fair to this generation or 
the next generation that we permit this to happen.
  The best way we can stop this spending--and the Congress is intent on 
spending--is to adopt a balanced budget amendment. We passed a statute 
years ago, and before the end of that year--Harry Byrd was the author 
of it--the Congress had gone beyond and spent more than that statute 
permitted. The only way under the Sun you are going to stop this 
spending--the only way, I repeat--is to pass a constitutional amendment 
to mandate--to mandate, to make--the Congress balance the budget. That 
is the only way you are going to stop it.
  We refused to pass that today. We turned it down. I hope the American 
people will study this question and see what happened and bring 
pressure on this Congress to do what it ought to do, and that is to 
pass this amendment when it comes up again. And it will come up again. 
It will come up again probably this session. It may not pass again this 
session. It will come up again next session. But I predict it will pass 
either this session or next session. It has to pass if we are going to 
stop this spending. It has to pass if we are going to save this country 
from financial ruin. I hope people rise up and demand that such action 
be taken.
  Mr. President, let me pay tribute before I yield the floor to Senator 
Dole, the majority leader, and Senator Lott, the assistant majority 
leader, for their leadership throughout this fight.
  I also wish to commend Senator Hatch, the chairman of the Judiciary 
Committee, for the fine job he did, and Senator Simon, who joined him 
as one of the principal authors, and Senator Craig, from Idaho, who did 
such a herculean job in trying to get this amendment passed, and 
Senator Heflin from Alabama, who was prominent in pushing this 
amendment. They all deserve to be commended. I thank all Senators who 
voted for it, but I especially wish to thank the leaders whose names I 
just mentioned. I also want to commend the staff of Senator Hatch for 
their exemplary and dedicated work on this legislation, Sharon Prost, 
Shawn Bentley, and Larry Block. Additionally, Damon Tobias of Senator 
Craig's office was tireless in his efforts to assist during 
consideration of this measure and too I commend Thad Strom, my chief 
counsel on the Judiciary Committee for his able assistance.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
  

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