Orrin Hatch: “let me also just take a few minutes on something that I think deserves more of a response. I would like to speak on an…”

“let me also just take a few minutes on something that I think deserves more of a response. I would like to speak on an important issue in this debate. This is an issue which was already debated last week, and on which the Senate has already voted. Last week, amendments were offered on an unrelated bill regarding exemption for Social Security on the balanced budget amendment. Last week, the Senate voted twice on two approaches to protecting Social Security, and the votes were clear. It is the considered judgment of the Senate that we will protect Social Security from benefit cuts and tax increases enacted to balance the budget in any legislation implementing the balanced budget amendment. This body has already voted on that. We have ruled on that. This proposal, which was introduced by Senator Kempthorne, was supported by an overwhelming vote of 83 to 16. An amendment introduced by Senator Harkin, which suggested that we exempt Social Security from calculations for meeting the balanced budget requirement in the discussion itself, failed by a vote of 62 to 38. The Kempthorne approach, which suggested we protect Social Security from benefit cuts and/or tax increases in legislation implementing the balanced budget, is clearly the most appropriate way to protect Social Security and is overwhelmingly supported by this body.”