[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 140 (Monday, September 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S13207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         THE BAD DEBT BOXSCORE

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, it takes no rocket scientist to be aware 
that the U.S. Constitution forbids any President to spend even a dime 
of Federal tax money that has not first been authorized and 
appropriated by Congress--both the House of Representatives and the 
U.S. Senate.
  So when a politician or an editor or a commentator pops off that 
``Reagan ran up the Federal debt'' or that ``Bush ran it up,'' bear in 
mind that the Founding Fathers, two centuries before the Reagan and 
Bush presidencies, made it very clear that it is the constitutional 
duty solely of Congress--a duty Congress cannot escape--to control 
Federal spending.
  Thus, it is the fiscal irresponsibility of Congress that has created 
the incredible Federal debt which stood at $4,962,703,726,882.93 as of 
the close of business Friday, September 8. This outrageous debt--which 
will be passed on to our children and grandchildren--averages out to 
$18,838.51 for every man, woman, and child in America.


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