[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 49 (Thursday, March 16, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S4091]
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, before contemplating today's bad news about 
the Federal debt, let's do that little pop quiz again: How many million 
dollars are in $1 trillion? When you decide upon an answer, no matter 
what it is, bear in mind that it was Congress that ran up a debt now 
exceeding $4.8 trillion.
  To be exact, as of the close of business yesterday, Wednesday, March 
15, the total Federal debt--down to the penny--stood at 
$4,847,771,555,727.54--meaning that every man, woman, and child in 
America now owes $18,402.22 computed on a per capita basis.
  Mr. President, again to answer the pop quiz question, How many 
million in a trillion? There are a million million in a trillion; and 
you can thank the U.S. Congress for the existing Federal debt exceeding 
$4.8 trillion and headed shortly for $5 trillion and higher.


                          ____________________