[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 8, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S3679]
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, let us say it again: Anyone even remotely 
familiar with the U.S. Constitution knows that no President can spend a 
dime of the taxpayers' money that has not first been both authorized 
and appropriated by Congress.
  So if you hear a politician or an editor or a commentator declare 
that ``Reagan ran up the Federal debt'' or that ``Bush ran it up,'' 
just bear in mind that the Founding Fathers made it very clear that it 
is the constitutional duty of Congress to control Federal spending.
  The fiscal irresponsibility of Congress has created a Federal debt 
which stood at $4,851,012,058,348.35 as of the close of business 
Tuesday, March 7. Averaged out, every man, woman, and child in America 
owes a share of this massive debt, and that per capita share is 
$18,414.53.

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