[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S4210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          IS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? THE VOTERS HAVE SAID YES

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, the impression simply will not go away; the 
enormous Federal debt greatly resembles that well-known energizer bunny 
we see, and see, and see on television. The Federal debt keeps going 
and going and going--always at the expense, of course, of the American 
taxpayers.
  A lot of politicians talk a good game--when they home to campaign--
about bringing Federal deficits and the Federal debt under control. But 
so many of these same politicians regularly voted for one bloated 
spending bill after another during the 103d Congress--which could have 
been a primary factor in the new configuration of U.S. Senators as a 
result of last November's elections.
  In any event, Mr. President, as of yesterday, Monday, March 20, at 
the close of business, the total Federal debt stood--down to the 
penny--at exactly $4,842,719,633,258.54 or $18,383.05 per person.
  The lawyers have a Latin expression which they use frequently--``res 
ipsa loquistur''--``the thing speaks for itself.'' Indeed it does.


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