Sen. Paul Simon: “It is designed so that Members of the Senate who under pressure from the administration or because of persuasion from…”

“It is designed so that Members of the Senate who under pressure from the administration or because of persuasion from Senator Byrd or whatever other reason, they want to vote against Senate Joint Resolution 41, the real thing, but they want to go back home and say, ``I voted for a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget.'' And so this gives them a way to cover themselves. If there was any real desire on the part of the majority leader or anyone to pass this, there would not have been a suggestion that we have to have 67 votes to adopt this amendment. I can never remember in now my 19th year in Congress anyone ever suggesting for any amendment you have to have 67 votes to pass it. The proponents would not have suggested that if they believed it was desirable to pass it.”