William Helms: “in light of the Columbus Day holiday--a day in which we honor Christopher Columbus for discovering a debt-free nation--I…”

“in light of the Columbus Day holiday--a day in which we honor Christopher Columbus for discovering a debt-free nation--I am unable to report to Congress our nation's outstanding federal debt from the close of business Friday, October 9, 1998. I do however feel obliged to submit the federal debt from years past. With no holiday in site for an escalating national debt, I report, Mr. President, that one year ago, October 9, 1997, the federal debt stood at $5,409,087,000,000 (Five trillion, four hundred nine billion, eighty-seven million). Twenty-five years ago, October 9, 1973, the federal debt stood at $459,857,000,000 (Four hundred fifty-nine billion, eight hundred fifty-seven million). Mr. President, as we stand in the twilight of budget negotiations for fiscal year 1999, I remind my distinguished colleagues that we must curb the desire to spend, spend, spend. Even with a holiday weekend our federal debt reflects an increase of more than $5 trillion--that is more than 5 million million--during the past 25 years.”