[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S3504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me just take a moment to indicate that 
we have not yet given up on this side of the Capitol on the balanced 
budget amendment to the Constitution.
  I view the one-vote loss as a temporary setback. I am very optimistic 
about passing the balanced budget amendment with the necessary two-
thirds vote in this Congress. It means either this year or next year. 
We will be making every effort, not only on this side of the aisle, but 
along with Senator Simon on the other side of the aisle, to secure one 
additional vote. That is all it takes, one additional vote. We can call 
it up, reconsider it, no debate, and then vote on the balanced budget 
amendment; no debate, 67 votes, and it will then go to the States for 
ratification.
  I hope that any of my colleagues who may have voted the other way 
have had time to think about this seriously. It is an item supported by 
80 percent of the American people. It is a discipline we need in the 
Congress of the United States. My view is its time has come and, in my 
view, it will happen this Congress. And I hope that we will have even 
more than the 67 votes required.
  All those who have been frightening and trying to scare senior 
citizens, I suggest that has not been effective. We have indicated from 
the start that we are not touching Social Security, and we will proceed 
on that basis in the budget discussions. I guess we will determine 
before many weeks who really is serious about reducing the deficit and 
about getting to a balanced budget. For all those who indicated in 
their statements that we do not need a balanced budget amendment to do 
that, we will have an opportunity to determine which one of those 
Senators meant what they said, or which others were just saying it 
because it might be something people like to hear in their States.
  But, again, I ask those who voted with us last year on the balanced 
budget amendment to search their conscience, dig out their old speeches 
and their old press releases and their old campaign spots, and take 
another look at the amendment that lost by one vote. It was identical, 
with the exception of a change of date from 2001 to 2002 and with the 
so-called Nunn language, which we think improved the amendment.
  This is something that should not be given up easily. We intend to 
pursue it.
  Again, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their 
bipartisan efforts to reach the magic number of 67.
  I yield the floor.

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