Rick Santorum

I think it may indicate that there is a sensitivity of the members of the President's party about the President's lack of leadership. And I understand that sensitivity. I understand that there may be justifiably some embarrassment about…

Depends on whose ox is being gored as to who is offended by the remarks. I can appreciate the constructive dialog, but I think it is a suitable poster and will continue with it.

I think you will find the dialog that has occurred in charting the number of days that the President has refused to offer a budget has been very respectful of the President in referring to him as the President. The point of the chart is…

I rise to continue my vigil in pointing out the lack of leadership of the President in coming forward and offering a balanced budget resolution. I have been in the Chamber noting the days that have passed since the Republicans in the…

First, this legislation allows the continuation of flow control as previously enacted under State law under certain conditions but not require or mandate flow control. Second, it is the intention of the distinguished subcommittee chairman…

My second question would be, of the Daschle amendment add-backs that we have debated here for several days, is it not also the Senator's understanding that every single one of those add-backs would be eligible to be added back after…

Is it not true, I ask the Senator from Mississippi, that 41 of the 72 Democratic amendments would be germane after this cloture vote? So 41 of the amendments that have been filed-- 41 is hardly a paltry sum--would be germane after this…

I was going to refer you to the 12th amendment that uses the same language that is used in section 5 and section 2, which refers to the whole number of the Senate. In one case, it says the whole number or two-thirds of the whole number of…

That is the safeguard against deficits. We cannot just incur a deficit because we have to raise the debt limit. We cannot raise the debt limit without a three-fifths majority. Thereby we are bound to do something about the deficit. So we…

Are you arguing that is outside the purview of the balanced budget amendment--what they are doing is outside? That would be violative of the balanced budget amendment.

I am not suggesting there is. I am suggesting what they are doing is the responsible thing. Is it not your understanding that what they are saying is that they want to offset new expenditures with spending cuts from someplace else in the…

Would it not be in keeping with the balanced budget amendment that they would offset so that the deficit would show zero based on that particular transaction?

But they also said--did they not ask the President to find rescissions to offset those expenditures?

I suggest to the Senator from West Virginia that the majority of the Members of the House would vote for a rescission package to fund it, which would accomplish the same thing.

The three-fifths override provision in the constitutional amendment is but an option available to this body to fund emergencies. Another option that is available is the one that is detailed in that letter which is to rescind obligated…

In fact, would you not suggest that with this constitutional amendment it would be incumbent upon us to pass some sort of implementing legislation?

It is not unprecedented that we would have an implementing piece of legislation.

Is it not possible, under implementing legislation, for us to require the Congressional Budget Office or the Office of Management and Budget to put forth a monthly calculation of what the deficit will be so we have our finger on the pulse…

Are there not subsequent updates by the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and reports from the Treasury as to actual receipts and revenues that one could, if one were in Congress or the Senate, adjust to…

There is a dependent clause after ``Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year . . .'' It then says `` . . . unless three-fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall provide by law…

If the Senator will yield, in the last sentence, the operative underlined that I see is the word ``can'' require. They do not have to do so. But they can. They also have the option, if I understand, to rescind, retroactively tax, or ``by a…

That is exactly right. That was my point. You will not know whether you have met the charge of the constitutional amendment until the end of the year.

My question to you, Senator, is the language from the constitutional amendment is very clear, that at the end of the fiscal year revenues will not exceed--excuse me. Expenditures will not exceed revenues. That is very clear.

That is exactly my point. It is very clear that it says it ``shall not exceed'' and the suggestion that you have made is that a $75 billion deficit would be permitted under the Constitution, it seems to me.

Does the plain, unmistakable, clear language say the budget ``shall'' not? I mean, is not that very clear from the language, that it ``shall'' not be?