Orrin Hatch: “there will never be a time when we have a true economic need and a true economic emergency that we will not get a…”

“there will never be a time when we have a true economic need and a true economic emergency that we will not get a three-fifths vote. As a general matter, whenever we needed it for unemployment compensation, whenever we needed it for emergencies, there has always been more than three-fifths. That requirement of consensus to borrow, which allows for flexibility but not complete laxity, is the value of this amendment and the strength of this amendment. So we can't just do what our friend from Illinois would like to do, and that is to just have a nebulous set of terms that would allow this Congress to do whatever it wants to about spending in the future. What we are trying to do is establish some restraints and get this place under control. This constitutional amendment's approach is a bipartisan approach. It is not a Republican approach; it is not a Democrat approach. It has taken a lot of us working together year after year--in my case, over 20 years now--to get this bipartisan amendment, the only one having a chance of going through, and everybody knows that. So hoping for a version more to one's liking is no excuse not to vote for this. Everybody knows this is the amendment. We are hopeful this amendment will pass intact and be sent to the House, and if it receives the required votes in the House, it will be a great day for America. I yield the floor.”