[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5095]
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 us do that little pop quiz again: How many 
million dollars are in $1 trillion? When you arrive at an answer, 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 Monday, April 3, the total 
Federal debt--down to the penny--stood at $4,873,480,746,464.74--
meaning that every man, woman, and child in America now owes $18,499.82 
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.

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