On the recordJune 9, 2000
what is interesting today is what is not being said. Our Nation is $5.7 trillion in debt. Five trillion dollars' worth of that debt was acquired by Congress in our lifetimes. Most of it since 1980. We are squandering a billion dollars a day on interest on that debt. The Joint Chiefs of Staff testified that we have a $100 billion shortfall in our military. The Shows bill which would provide relief to our veterans and military retirees has 300 cosponsors, but the Republican leadership will not bring it to the floor because they say we do not have $5 billion a year to cover that cost. So I have to admit I find it a bit unusual that the Republican leadership can find $50 billion a year to give the wealthiest 2 percent of all Americans a free ride on this. I hope someone will explain that.
Source
govinfo.gov
