Cord Byrd: “I have listened to the claims of the proponents of the constitutional amendment for several days now. I compliment them…”

“I have listened to the claims of the proponents of the constitutional amendment for several days now. I compliment them on their dedication to their cause as they see it. I respect their viewpoints. I respect their sincerity. I realize that not everyone will agree with my viewpoint. I commend the distinguished Senator from Illinois [Mr. Simon] for his steadfast adherence to the belief that the way to get our deficits under control and lower the interest on the debt and reduce the debt is to adopt a constitutional amendment on the balanced budget. I respect his viewpoint. I differ with it. But we can differ as friends and we do differ as friends. I also speak with respect to the distinguished Senator from Utah, [Mr. Hatch] the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary who, likewise, is a very formidable and principled supporter of the proposal. I think they are wrong. They think I am wrong. But it is the people out there that we hope to try to persuade as to which viewpoint is the right one under the circumstances that obtain.”