Tony Thurmond: “this has not been a good day for the United States. I cannot imagine any piece of legislation that could have been…”

“this has not been a good day for the United States. I cannot imagine any piece of legislation that could have been offered in the Senate which would do this country more good than this balanced budget amendment which was defeated today, defeated by one vote. Mr. President, we cannot keep on as we are. We have not balanced this budget but one time in 32 years--eight times in 64 years. How are we going to change it? We are putting a burden on our children and our grandchildren that is unbearable. It is not fair to this generation or the next generation that we permit this to happen. The best way we can stop this spending--and the Congress is intent on spending--is to adopt a balanced budget amendment. ... I hope the American people will study this question and see what happened and bring pressure on this Congress to do what it ought to do, and that is to pass this amendment when it comes up again. And it will come up again. It will come up again probably this session.”