Cord Byrd: “My question is this, may I say to the distinguished Senator: Would the Senator be willing to revise his proposal in a…”

“My question is this, may I say to the distinguished Senator: Would the Senator be willing to revise his proposal in a way that would delete the language that is set forth in paragraph (1) and in (a), preceding (1), which reads as follows: Purpose.--The Congress declares it essential that the Congress-- (1) adopt in the first session of the 104th Congress a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution requiring a balanced Federal budget. Mr. President, before he responds, there are some other aspects of this proposal that the distinguished Senator has made here that I like. I think he is not willing to go into this thing with his eyes shut. He is not willing just to go along with having a constitutional amendment on a balanced budget, although I believe I heard him say he was going to vote for one. I hope he will, in his characteristic fashion, think that through. I have always thought of him as a man who really thinks matters through, and the fact that he has offered this as a proposal today indicates to me that he is thinking that through and that he sees some problems with it. I like most of what the Senator has, but I do not like and could never support (a) and (1): The Congress declares it essential that the Congress adopt in the first session of the 104th Congress a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution requiring a balanced Federal budget. I am not for that.…”