[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6457]
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 once more. You 
remember--one question, one answer:
  Question: How many million dollars are in $1 trillion? While you are 
arriving at an answer, bear in mind that it was the U.S. Congress that 
ran up the Federal debt that now exceeds $4.8 trillion.
  To be exact, as of the close of business Tuesday, May 9, the exact 
Federal debt--down to the penny--stood at $4,853,699,696,611.41. This 
means that every man, woman, and child in America now owes $18,424.73 
computed on a per capita basis.
  Mr. President, back to the pop quiz: How many million in a trillion? 
There are a million million in a trillion.


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