I would simply point out that when S&P downgraded our debt, they were so well respected that the interest rates went down and the price of our bonds went up. So much for S&P. I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

It is now my privilege to yield 4 minutes to a member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).

I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, since 1995, when this amendment was last on the floor, we proved we could balance the budget without a balanced budget amendment. But a balanced budget is not the highest goal. The…

I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

I yield myself an additional 30 seconds. The CBO estimated, before President Obama took office, that the next year's deficit would be $1.2 trillion before he did anything. And I would remind us that nondefense discretionary spending in…

I would point out that if this amendment passed, we would never be able to borrow money to do the infrastructure that we need. I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi).

How much time remains, please? The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 36\3/4\ minutes, and the gentleman from Texas has 1 hour and 4\1/2\ minutes.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this misguided attempt to amend our constitution. It is both bad economic policy and bad constitutional policy. Let's start with the basics. While balancing your…

Just two comments. First of all, going back to what you were discussing a moment ago, the answer to your question is that under this amendment, 40 percent of either House could hold the entire country hostage against the other 60 percent…

I have to correct what the distinguished gentleman from Virginia said a moment ago when he said that this amendment would not affect Social Security because Social Security would be paid for by the trust fund. This amendment says the total…

The amendment is silent. All it says is ``this will happen.'' ``This must happen.'' When this must happen in our system of government, if it doesn't, or if someone thinks it's not going to, they go to court and they ask for a court order…

I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 822, what the Brady Campaign correctly calls the ``Packing Heat on Your Street'' bill. America is in dire economic straits. Millions of people are out of work. Our growth rate is anemic. People are…