Trent Lott: “The past few days have been very difficult here in the Senate. Some things, perhaps harsh things, have been said here on…”

“The past few days have been very difficult here in the Senate. Some things, perhaps harsh things, have been said here on the floor of the Senate and in the public arena, and I think we have to stop and take stock of how much damage was done by the debate and all that went on during the discussion on the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. I agree that we need a bipartisan effort to achieve a balanced budget, and in fact if we had the will, we could achieve a balanced budget without a constitutional amendment. But I have been in this city for 26 years, as a staff member, as a House Member, and as a Senator, and it has not been happening. I do not believe it will happen without a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. I think we need the additional leverage. However, we took the vote. We were one vote shy. Any one of 34 Senators could have passed that constitutional amendment to balance the budget and send it to the American people for their legislatures to vote on that amendment. It did not happen. But we should go forward. We should set a process in motion that would lead to deficit reduction this year and next year.”