Paul Coverdell: “I rise in support of the passage of the balanced budget amendment. I could not think of a single issue--not one--that is…”

“I rise in support of the passage of the balanced budget amendment. I could not think of a single issue--not one--that is more central nor more tied to what the American people were saying in these past elections than the balanced budget amendment. It is interesting to me that in the President's speech on the state of the Union, he said something to the effect that the American people were not singing to us, they were shouting at us. On that point, the President is absolutely correct. They were shouting at Washington and they were demanding change in the way we govern ourselves. Eighty to eighty-five percent of the American people have indicated support of the passage of an amendment to the Constitution to balance the budget. The President said he heard the shouting, but apparently he has not because if you heard what they were saying, you would be in front of the train trying to bring the change that they are asking for here to Washington and he would be leading the charge for passage of the balanced budget amendment.”