On the recordMarch 2, 2011
I rise in strong support of the Lee amendment, which is a sense of the Senate that this body and the House should pass a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. Clearly, I think in the mind of every American, our top domestic challenge is to get hold of our fiscal situation to move us to a sustainable path, to tighten the belt of the Federal Government just like every American family has been doing for many years in this recession. We are making a start, a real but modest start, in terms of this year's budget. I was happy the Senate followed the lead of the House and passed a 2-week CR today that has substantial cuts, the exact level of cuts as the House passed for the rest of the fiscal year. I support that important start in terms of this year's budget. Of course, we need to finish the job by passing a spending bill for the entire rest of the fiscal year with that level of cuts or more. That is a start, but it is only a start. The other thing I think we need to do is create reform, a structure that demands that Congress stay on that path to a balanced budget until we get there. I believe the most important thing we can create to demand that is a straitjacket for Congress, if you will, a balanced budget constitutional amendment. Unfortunately, I think Congress, time and time again over years and decades, has proved we need to put Congress in that straitjacket if we are ever going to get to a sustainable fiscal situation, a balanced budget.
