[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 66 (Monday, April 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5567]
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 go 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, as of Friday, April 21, 
at the close of business, the total Federal debt stood--down to the 
penny--at exactly $4,837,382,183,299.27 or $18,362.79 per person.

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