Orrin Hatch: “let me just say I compliment my colleagues for the excellent job they have done in coming up with the first 10 bills of…”

“let me just say I compliment my colleagues for the excellent job they have done in coming up with the first 10 bills of this session. I think they are bills that the American people have to be very interested in. There is no question that each and every one is essential for the future of our country. I am very appreciative that so many colleagues are willing to cosponsor and to push these particular bills. Having said that, the No. 1 issue on our agenda is, as it has always been for Republicans and I think some very courageous Democrats as well, S.J. Res. 1, the balanced budget constitutional amendment. Mr. President, this is an amendment that literally could change the future of our country for the better. We are now approaching a $6 trillion deficit. It has been largely accumulated over the last 15 or 20 years. We have had a period of almost 60 years of unbalanced budgets, except on very rare occasions. The Senate and the Hose seem to be institutionally incapable of reaching balanced budget appropriations and budget acts. And I might add, the President is incapable, as well. If you look at the last budgets that the President has submitted, even the one that he called the balanced budget, it was heavily loaded in the rear end of the budget, in the last 2 years, knowing that there is no way in the world that when we ultimately reach 2001 and 2002 that we can actually balance the budget. It has been a phony game. It is time to end that game.”