[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 110 (Monday, July 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S9603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           WAS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? LOOK AT THE ARITHMETIC

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, the skyrocketing Federal debt, which long 
ago soared into the stratosphere, is in a category like the weather--
everybody talks about it but scarcely anybody had undertaken the 
responsibility of trying to do anything about it. That is, not until 
immediately following the elections last November.
  When the new 104th Congress convened in January, the U.S. House of 
Representatives quickly approved a balanced budget amendment to the 
U.S. Constitution. In the Senate all but one of the 54 Republicans 
supported the balanced budget amendment; only 13 Democrats supported 
it. Since a two-thirds vote is necessary to approve a constitutional 
amendment, the proposed Senate amendment failed by one vote. There will 
be another vote later this year or next year.
  Mr. President, as of the close of business Friday, July 7, the 
Federal debt--down to the penny--stood at exactly $4,929,459,412,839.22 
or $18,712.31 for every man, woman, and child on a per capita basis.


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