William Helms: “the pending amendment that the distinguished Senator from Tennessee [Mr. Thompson] and I have offered forbids any Member…”

“the pending amendment that the distinguished Senator from Tennessee [Mr. Thompson] and I have offered forbids any Member of Congress, House or Senate, from receiving a pay raise or cost of living adjustment in the fiscal year 1997 that begins in a few days on October 1. Here we are, both Houses of Congress, asking the American people to make the sacrifices necessary to get the Nation's fiscal house in order, and it seems to me that all of us should be willing to forego even the thought of a pay increase. Each day I make a formal report to the Senate specifying the staggering federal debt as of the close of business the previous day. Most of this enormous burden was run up by Congress in prior years. But, the point is that Congress alone is charged with the constitutional duty of authorizing and appropriating funds for Federal spending, and it's our responsibility to pay the debt down and live within our means. The activities of Congress, the timidity of Congress, the inclination to play politics with the public purse--all of this has brought us to a Federal debt that, as of close of business yesterday, stood at $5,214,144,675,542.25, or $19,625.30 for every man, woman and child in America on a per capita basis. Mr. President, while we are systematically piling on to the arrearage which our children and grandchildren must bear, the notion that Congress deserves a pay raise is absurd.”