[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 144 (Friday, September 15, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S13653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         THE BAD DEBT BOXSCORE

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, it does not take a 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 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 $4,968,803,366,390.98 as of 
the close of business Thursday, September 14. This outrageous debt--
which will be passed on to our children and grandchildren--averages out 
to $18,861.66 for every man, woman and child in America.


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