Orrin Hatch: “Keep in mind, I do not think that we can use votes in 1941. There was not a constitutional amendment in effect then.…”

“Keep in mind, I do not think that we can use votes in 1941. There was not a constitutional amendment in effect then. Keep in mind, one of the other things our Founding Fathers did--they did it very carefully--was to put article V into the Constitution which provides for constitutional amendments, and for changes that are needed. We are asserting that this change is needed because of the way Congress has been profligate over the last 60 years. But let us say the last 26 years during which time we have--could I finish? Let me finish this one thought. The point is that one of the most important aspects of the balanced budget amendment is that these two votes, if they are taken every year, are going to be the votes nobody is going to be able to miss. If you vote on increasing taxes, there are going to have to be 100 Senators here because it is going to be a vote that everybody in the country is going to pay attention to. If you vote on increasing the deficit, there had better be 100 Senators here. There are not going to be any walks. Anybody who walks is not going to be there in the next Congress. That is one thing this amendment will do.”