Daniel Akaka: “As my colleagues know, we have all been elected to the Senate to make the difficult policy decisions that confront our…”

“As my colleagues know, we have all been elected to the Senate to make the difficult policy decisions that confront our Federal Government. Every day on the Senate floor, we engage in decisionmaking that is the essence of the legislative process. Some decisions that come before the Senate are rather commonplace, such as how much to spend on scientific research or whether we will build and maintain new highways or ports. Other decisions are much more profound, such as who will become the next Supreme Court Justice, or whether or not our Nation will go to war. No decision a Senator makes is more profound than our vote on an amendment to the Constitution. Amending the Constitution is an extraordinary legislative action that has occurred only a few times in our Nation's history. This experience tells us that the balance and compromise crafted during the Constitutional Convention has served us very well. I am deeply concerned that the amendment we are now considering will upset the delicate balance of power forged during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.”