Political Quotes

“I will speak briefly on the sense-of-the-Senate resolution offered to this body. I do it because last year I offered an amendment to the balanced budget amendment that would have exempted Social Security. I did not prevail at that time. There has been, since that time, a significant amount of debate on the balanced budget amendment. And without exception, everyone who has been asked what should happen to Social Security in relation to the balanced budget amendment has said ``leave it alone''--Democrats and Republicans, the Democratic leaders, Republican leaders, and even those new leaders, like Speaker Gingrich, have stated Social Security should not be part of the balanced budget amendment. I felt it was appropriate that I speak on this legislation offered by the Senator from Iowa, because I have held a press conference earlier on saying that I am a supporter of the balanced budget amendment. But I am going to have everyone stick to what they have said: The balanced budget amendment should exempt Social Security. Why? We have gone to a lot of trouble to make Social Security an independent agency. They are in the process of now appointing the board of directors, in effect, of that agency, this new Social Security agency. Its funds will no longer be part of the general funds of this country. The program should stand or fall on its own merits. This year, there will be about a $70 billion surplus in the Social Security fund.…”