Dan Coats: “I thank the Senator and commend him for his leadership on this important issue. It has been a joy to work with him on…”

“I thank the Senator and commend him for his leadership on this important issue. It has been a joy to work with him on it. The point is that we do not have to gut Federal spending. We can get from here to there. We have ample time to get from here to there. The amendment is crafted so there is an emergency exit in case of a national security emergency. It is not the draconian, destroy-America process that some would have us believe. Now, Mr. President, I stated earlier that I came to Congress in 1981, so I have only been here 13 years. When I came, we were running a $78.9 billion annual deficit and our national debt stood at $994.3 billion, less than $1 trillion, 13 years ago. It took this country over 200 years to reach the first trillion dollars of debt. I stand here today, 13 years later, and the national debt is $4.5 trillion--4.5 times higher than when I arrived--and I am a junior Member of this institution. That is a legacy of which I am ashamed of. And, yes, I can point to all the votes for balanced budget amendments and I can point to taxpayer hero awards and bulldog of the Treasury; I have the trophies in my office. I can point to those votes, but I am ashamed that 13 years our national debt has risen from under $1 trillion to $4.5 trillion. Now, we can stand here and point the finger. Republicans can say the Democrats controlled the Congress, and therefore it is their fault. Democrats can say the Republicans had the White House, and it is their fault.”