[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S1296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WELLSTONE AMENDMENT NO. 3

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, yesterday the Senate voted on the first of 
several potential amendments to exempt certain programs from the 
balanced budget constitutional amendment. I greatly appreciate the 
comments made on the amendment by the Senator from Minnesota regarding 
the importance of programs that benefit our children. Senator Wellstone 
spoke passionately and I could not agree more that we must protect our 
children.
  However, I disagree with the notion that we should exempt certain 
categories of programs from the strictures of the balanced budget 
amendment. I don't see balancing the budget and helping our children as 
two mutually exclusive goals. In fact, these are two of my highest 
priorities and they are critically linked.
  I heard the compelling arguments about the difficult spending cuts 
that occurred during the last Congress. I agree that more should be 
done to balance the burden of spending reductions in the future. As a 
society and as a government, we must maximize our commitment to the 
well-being of our children or suffer the consequences in the world 
economy. But what's more important, if we fail our children, we fail as 
a people.
  Mr. President, I am committed to the concept of the balanced budget 
amendment. I am committed to the idea that the financial security of 
this Nation rests on the ability of the Federal Government to curb the 
practice of spending beyond its means. And I am deeply committed to the 
belief that our Nation's future depends on the investment we place in 
our children. In reviewing the fiscal history of this Nation over the 
past 25 years, it has become clear to me that the will to exercise the 
necessary spending restraint does not exist within this body without a 
strict requirement. I believe that the balanced budget amendment 
provides such a framework, and that is why I support it.
  The Wellstone amendment was certainly difficult to vote against. But 
I strongly believe that the very arguments made by the proponents of 
the amendment are exactly those that will help preserve critical 
children's programs from future budget cuts. Our children are already 
saddled with a tremendous debt burden created by past federal budget 
excess. It makes no fiscal sense to further hinder their ability to pay 
off that debt by short-changing their education or health. The very 
viability of our economy depends upon the opportunity of our children 
to flourish.
  We clearly can not afford to ignore the needs of our children. But if 
we are serious about passing a meaningful balanced budget amendment, 
then we must reject efforts to dismantle that effort through piecemeal 
exclusions of programs, however worthy the particular program. I fear 
that such exemptions will lead to a cascade of further exemptions and 
ultimately leave little room to create a truly fair and balanced 
budget. That is exactly the scenario that has caused us to get to a 4 
trillion dollar Federal debt.
  I have sought to protect funding for child care resources, public 
health and education and will continue to do so in the context of a 
balanced budget. When it comes to the annual appropriations process, of 
which I am an active participant as a member of the Senate 
Appropriations Committee, I will remain front and center fighting to 
protect children's programs. But as a supporter of the balanced budget 
amendment, I must object to blanket exclusions.
  Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators here and 
back now at their offices, there will be no further votes this evening. 
I understand there are----
  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, may we have order, please.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky makes an excellent 
point. The Senate will come to order.
  The majority leader is recognized.
  Mr. LOTT. There will be no further votes this evening, but I do 
understand there are several requests for morning business in the 
morning. In light of those requests and the memorial service for 
Ambassador Pamela Harriman, I expect the Senate will be conducting 
morning business only until around 2 p.m. on Thursday.
  Following morning business, there is a possibility for consideration 
of a resolution regarding milk prices, and there is the possibility of 
another resolution but we are trying to see if that resolution has been 
filed and, of course, we will need to clear it with the Democratic 
leader.
  There are rollcall votes possible during tomorrow's session but we do 
not have an agreement on that yet.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes 
consideration of Senate Joint Resolution 1, the balanced budget 
amendment, on Monday, February 24, the Senate resume consideration of 
Senator Byrd's amendment No. 6 beginning at 3:30 p.m.
  I further ask that there be 2 additional hours of debate equally 
divided in the usual form prior to the vote on or in relation to the 
Byrd amendment and finally no amendments be in order to that amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Again, so that Senators will have this information, the 
agreement allows for a rollcall vote then on Senator Byrd's amendment 
at approximately 5:30 on Monday, February 24.
  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I know the majority leader loves to hear 
himself talk. The rest of us would like to hear him, too.
  Will you have order in the Chamber.
  Mr. LOTT. I am highly complimented and appreciative of the Senator's 
comments.
  Mr. FORD. The reason I did that, Mr. President, is because the 
majority whip does not want to do that. He likes to hear me do it.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.
  The Senate will come to order.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, there will be a vote then on Senator Byrd's 
amendment at approximately 5:30 on Monday, February 24, which is the 
date the Senate returns from the Presidents Day recess.
  I have discussed these Monday afternoon votes with the Democratic 
leader. We are agreed we will have votes quite often on Monday 
afternoons. We will try to tell you as far in advance as we can. It 
does seem to get the Members back and ready for work. It allows us to 
get committee work done on Monday afternoons or certainly on Tuesday 
mornings. And also I should remind Senators that that week after we 
come back after the Presidents Day recess, in order to complete our 
work on the balanced budget amendment there is a good possibility we 
will have to stay in late on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. That is 
not definite yet. It will depend on how many amendments and time 
agreements. We will work with the leader on that. But we have been very 
aggressive in trying to keep our schedule reasonable. If we need to do 
some late nights that week to finish our work so that we can do other 
things that are pending, including nominations, then we would be 
prepared to do that. But we will advise you in advance when we are 
going to have to be in session at night.

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