[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S4801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE VERY BAD DEBT BOXSCORE

  Mr. HELMS. Madam President, many Americans don't have the slightest 
idea about the enormity of the Federal debt. Ever so often, I ask 
groups of friends, how many millions of dollars are there in a 
trillion? They think about it, voice some estimates, most of them 
wrong.
  One thing they do know is that it is the U.S. Congress that has run 
up the enormous Federal debt that is now over $5 trillion.
  To be exact, as of the close of business yesterday, May 6, 1996, the 
total Federal debt--down to the penny--stood at $5,090,257,303,263.75. 
Another sad statistic is that on a per capita basis, every man, woman, 
and child in America owes $19,223.62.
  So Madam President, how many million are there in a trillion? There 
are a million million in a trillion, which means that the Federal 
Government owes more than five million million dollars.
  Sort of boggles the mind, doesn't it?

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