Orrin Hatch

Ever since the Civil War, the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments have used the language ``appropriate legislation,'' which, under the Chadha decision of the Supreme Court, is interpreted as a law as signed by the President…

Under Senate Joint Resolution 1, Congress will, by necessity, need to be more careful about its decisions through the year in order to comply with the constitutional directive of the other sections. For instance, section 6 simply…

In addition to the fact that we have no strong incentives under the current system to stay within either the estimates or the budget that is under the current system, Congress often compounds the problems inherent in using estimates by…

The same thing that is meant in every constitutional amendment since the Civil War.

I am strongly suspicious that the Senate may prevail over the balanced budget amendment.

I did not say that the distinguished Senator from North Dakota is a sophist, though I think he would make a good one. I did say that I think his arguments are--

But passage of the balanced budget amendment is the first and only real step toward a balanced budget and fiscal sanity.

Let me take 1 minute of my remaining time, and that is to say that this amendment will have a loophole in the balanced budget amendment second to none, and a loophole for any kind of spending--not military spending, any kind of spending…

Let me just say this, Moses also struck the rock at Meribah and gave water and was forbidden from entering the promised land after 40 years of traveling in the wilderness.

I think it promises a balanced budget, I don't think it mandates one. It gives us the flexibility to do whatever we want to do, as long as we comply its requirements.

I said the amendment does not mandate a balanced budget. I think this amendment will lead us to a balanced budget.

Paul was, yes, for holding the coats of those who stoned the first Christian martyr, Stephen. Paul was sincere. He meant what he said. He really was sincere. But he was wrong.

The man who held the coats of the men who stoned the first Christian martyr, he is sincerely wrong.

I was saying, if it was up to the Senator from West Virginia and the Senator from Utah, I believe we would have the will to do what is right.

Even, in spite of the reductions in deficit that have occurred over the last 4 years after the enactment of one of the largest tax increases in history--some on our side say the largest tax increase in history; it is debatable, but it is…

Well, let me put it this way. I don't have to ask that question. I know the distinguished Senator from West Virginia would. But I asked it rhetorically because I know that the distinguished Senator from West Virginia would do all in his…

They are not doing it now because they do not know who is responsible for them. If we have to stand up and vote and make supermajority votes to spend and borrow more, then they will know who is doing it to them. If we have to make a…

Well, I have to ask the distinguished Senator from West Virginia, if this balanced budget amendment passes, as much as he wishes that it would not, and it is ratified by the States, would the Senator from West Virginia, once it is placed…

The reason I point out the current system is not working is because there are not the same pressures to make it work that there would be under a balanced budget amendment. Second, if we have these wild fluctuations under the balanced…

I understand. What Senator Simon argued last year as the leading proponent of this amendment was that he felt there would be a greater propensity to increase taxes to solve these problems. I have to say that I do not believe that is so…

Do not think that is adequate. They want a three-fifths majority before you can increase taxes. But the reason we have a constitutional majority is because my friends on the Democratic side would not agree with the three-fifths majority.

Although I tend to share the Senator's view on the line- item veto, I think the Senator would have to admit there is a question whether that is going to be judged constitutional or not. If we pass a balanced budget amendment, it will…

Because I believe Senators will live up to the constitutional mandate and the oath of office that they take to do what is right, where at this particular point there is no constitutional mandate to live within budgetary constraints, and it…

I do not think I need the Senator's chart to make the case that our country is in trouble, that we are not doing what is right, that we are continuing to spend us into bankruptcy. And even though there are arguments made that we are only…

Frankly, I think if you have the incentives to produce more accurate estimates of receipts and outlays, there will be an incentive to have the top line have the bars going up every time, where right now we do not have that incentive. We…