[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 144 (Monday, October 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE VERY BAD DEBT BOXSCORE

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, in light of the Columbus Day holiday--a day 
in which we honor Christopher Columbus for discovering a debt-free 
nation--I am unable to report to Congress our nation's outstanding 
federal debt from the close of business Friday, October 9, 1998. I do 
however feel obliged to submit the federal debt from years past.
  With no holiday in site for an escalating national debt, I report, 
Mr. President, that one year ago, October 9, 1997, the federal debt 
stood at $5,409,087,000,000 (Five trillion, four hundred nine billion, 
eighty-seven million).
  Twenty-five years ago, October 9, 1973, the federal debt stood at 
$459,857,000,000 (Four hundred fifty-nine billion, eight hundred fifty-
seven million).
  Mr. President, as we stand in the twilight of budget negotiations for 
fiscal year 1999, I remind my distinguished colleagues that we must 
curb the desire to spend, spend, spend. Even with a holiday weekend our 
federal debt reflects an increase of more than $5 trillion--that is 
more than 5 million million--during the past 25 years.

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