Russ Feingold: “I rise to support the amendment of the Senator from Nevada and to oppose Senate Joint Resolution 41. But in doing so let…”

“I rise to support the amendment of the Senator from Nevada and to oppose Senate Joint Resolution 41. But in doing so let me, first of all, say that the sentiment behind the balanced budget amendment is a very real and very legitimate one. I especially want to indicate that with regard to the sincerity and effort by the senior Senator from Illinois. I know he is doing it for the right reason. I know he is doing it because he wants to eliminate our Federal deficit, and he believes that this amendment is the way to do it. It comes out of a very legitimate frustration that the American people have about the way the Federal Government runs up debts and deficits and just has not adopted the discipline of paying as you go, the most commonsense principle that you find when you talk to your constituents. Mr. President, the real question that the people in all 50 States are asking is why is there so much spending and so much waste at the Federal level?”