Russ Feingold: “Tuesday's business section of the Washington Post had an interesting article in it on the termination of the helium…”

“Tuesday's business section of the Washington Post had an interesting article in it on the termination of the helium program, which is a target as elusive and difficult to rein in as the helium gas itself. The subheading of the article was entitled, ``Helium Bureaucracy Targeted by Clinton Has Survived Many Budget Cutters.'' The story in the Post went on to recount how termination of the helium program has been on the target list for elimination by those seeking to find ways to reduce the Federal bureaucracy. The story talks about how this helium program has been on the list for ways to reduce the Federal bureaucracy and the Federal deficit, but that it has survived many attempts under the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations, precisely because of the usual constituencies and political horse trading that tends to keep these programs alive. Mr. President, I suggest that this helium program is exactly what this balanced budget amendment debate is all about, or maybe the better way to say it is, is what this balanced budget amendment debate should be about.”