Orrin Hatch: “The reason we brought this balanced budget amendment before us is because we have a runaway train of Federal spending.…”

“The reason we brought this balanced budget amendment before us is because we have a runaway train of Federal spending. We have a runaway train that is not treating our taxpayers fairly. The answers always seem to be more spending and more taxing. This amendment is an amendment that does not require a balanced budget, but it does require us to at least make priority choices. If we are going to spend, then we are going to have to stand up and vote to do so. You have to vote. We do not have to now. If we are going to tax, then you have to stand up and vote to tax. We do not have to do that right now. We can do it through voice votes. I just want to add this to it: If you are going to tax more, by gosh, I think you are going to find these two votes--a vote to increase taxes, a vote to increase the deficit--from this point on, if this balanced budget amendment passes both Houses and becomes ratified, you are going to find that those two votes are going to have 100 Senators every time, because nobody could fail to vote on them.”