Orrin Hatch: “Senator Dorgan's substitute, simply put, would add to Senate Joint Resolution 1 language that would exempt Social…”

“Senator Dorgan's substitute, simply put, would add to Senate Joint Resolution 1 language that would exempt Social Security from the requirement that ``total outlays for any fiscal year not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year,'' unless three-fifths of each House concurs. In essence, the Dorgan substitute's exemption for Social Security is identical to the Reid amendment, which we fully debated yesterday. As such, we are all familiar with the arguments--pro and con--of the effect of removing Social Security from the safeguards of the balanced budget amendment. It is my fervent hope this renewed debate over the proposed exemption of the Social Security funds from the requirements of Senate Joint Resolution 1 will convince my colleagues to support the balanced budget amendment. As Justice Brandeis so eloquently wrote in the 1927 case of Whitney versus California, ``[i]t is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.'' I truly believe that many of my well-meaning colleagues' desires to exempt the Social Security Program is based on unfounded fears. I hope to allay those fears and demonstrate that far from harming Social Security, including the program within unified budgets subject to the amendment, will help to preserve the program.”