[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 19, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S3851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 756. Mr. PERDUE (for himself and Mr. Braun) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1790, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle H of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 108__. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE NATIONAL DEBT AS A 
                   THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in February 2019, the total public debt outstanding was 
     more than $22,000,000,000,000, resulting in a total interest 
     expense of more than $192,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2019;
       (2) on December 21, 2018, the total public debt as a 
     percentage of gross domestic product was 104 percent;
       (3) the last balanced Federal budget was signed into law in 
     1997;
       (4) in fiscal year 2018, Federal tax receipts totaled 
     $3,329,000,000,000, but Federal outlays totaled 
     $4,108,000,000,000, leaving the Federal Government with a 1-
     year deficit of $779,000,000,000;
       (5) every year since the last balanced Federal budget was 
     signed in 1997, Congress has failed to maintain a fiscally 
     responsible budget and has typically relied on raising the 
     debt ceiling;
       (6) the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees 
     project that the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will 
     be depleted in 2026;
       (7) the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees 
     project that the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance 
     Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund 
     will be depleted in 2034;
       (8) the credit rating of the United States was reduced by 
     Standard and Poor's from AAA to AA+ on August 5, 2011, and 
     has remained at that level since that date;
       (9) without a targeted effort to balance the Federal 
     budget, the credit rating of the United States is certain to 
     continue to fall;
       (10) the National Security Strategy issued by President 
     Donald Trump highlights the need to reduce the national debt 
     through fiscal responsibility;
       (11) on April 12, 2018, former Secretary of Defense James 
     Mattis warned that ``any Nation that can't keep its fiscal 
     house in order eventually cannot maintain its military 
     power'';
       (12) on March 6, 2018, Director of National Intelligence 
     Dan Coats warned: ``Our continued plunge into debt is 
     unsustainable and represents a dire future threat to our 
     economy and to our national security'';
       (13) on November 15, 2017, former Secretaries of Defense 
     Leon Panetta, Ash Carter, and Chuck Hagel warned: ``Increase 
     in the debt will, in the absence of a comprehensive budget 
     that addresses both entitlements and revenues, force even 
     deeper reductions in our national security capabilities''; 
     and
       (14) on September 22, 2011, former Chairman of the Joint 
     Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen warned: ``I believe the 
     single, biggest threat to our national security is debt''.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the national debt is a threat to the national security 
     of the United States;
       (2) deficits are unsustainable, irresponsible, and 
     dangerous; and
       (3) Congress should commit to addressing the fiscal crisis 
     faced by the United States.
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