Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 866 I was unavoidably detained and I would have voted ``no.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, on January 26, 1995, when the last attempt at a balanced budget amendment passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 300-132, the national debt was $4,801,405,175,294.28.

Today, it is $15,051,673,595,197.90. We've added $10,250,268,419,903.62 dollars to our debt in 16 years. This is $10 trillion in debt our Nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 26, 1995, when the last attempt at a balanced budget amendment passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 300-132, the national debt was $4.8 trillion.

This week it hit $15 trillion. Today, it is $15,026,993,847,879.10. We've added 10 trillion dollars to our debt in 16 years. This is $10 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I've had the honor of serving in both the Army and the Marine Corps, five overseas deployments, two of them in combat.

What has really struck me since I've been in the Congress of the United States and had the honor, as well, to serve on the Armed Services Committee is testimony by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, who said the greatest threat to the United States is our national debt. He didn't say it was al Qaeda. He didn't say it was some foreign power of terrorists. He said the greatest threat to the United States is right here. The greatest threat to the United States are the decades of out-of-control spending by the Congress of the United States that is bringing down this country.

We have an opportunity today to change that. We have an opportunity today to put the discipline in place that we are not going to go down the path of Greece.

I would ask the Members of this body to show the same courage and determination that the young men and women show who serve our country in defense of our freedom every day, to do the right thing and to vote for a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.

If not now, when? Let us vote for this. Let us put this country down the right track. And let us not be the greatest threat to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, today for the first time our national debt has surpassed $15 trillion dollars. Currently, our national debt is $15,033,607,255,920.32.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,395,181,509,626.52 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,977,884,880,834.39.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,339,459,134,540.59 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,979,610,349,742.69.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,341,184,603,448.89 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,973,228,608,405.04.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,334,802,862,111.24 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,977,962,674,363.87.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,339,536,928,070.07 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the 236th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, I would like to take the opportunity to honor a marine whom I served with during the first Gulf War.

Chief Warrant Officer W5 John Currie, United States Marine Corps Reserve (Retired), served our Nation with distinction from his first enlistment in 1966 until his retirement in 1999. I met Chief Warrant Officer Currie late in the fall of 1990 when I volunteered to serve with a light armored infantry company that was mobilized for the first gulf war.

From the start, I was deeply impressed by his leadership, the respect his subordinate marines had for him, and by his tactical skill and the courage he demonstrated on the battlefield.

His citation for the Navy Commendation Medal reads: ``Late in the afternoon of 21 February 1991, Chief Warrant Officer W3 Currie decisively led his platoon through enemy indirect fires to occupy a key defensive position opposite significant portions of an Iraqi infantry brigade. Over the next 2 days and nights of combat, his clear reasoning, calm issuance of orders, and effective employment of supporting arms against enemy forces motivated his platoon and the entire company in their efforts to hold the center of the battalion's defenses. Early on the morning of 24 February 1991, he led his platoon to a new position on the division's extreme left flank and initiated a series of aggressive actions against enemy positions which inflicted numerous casualties. Chief Warrant Officer W3 Currie's coolness, poise, and decisive actions inspired and steadied all who observed him, as he successfully gained and maintained control over a

very fluid and chaotic situation caused by the surrender of more than 800 Iraqi soldiers.''

I will never forget Chief Warrant Officer W5 John Currie and all he did not only to lead his men so effectively against the enemy, but in setting such a high standard for all of the officers in the command, to include myself.

Chief Warrant Officer John Currie is a credit to the United States Marine Corps, and it's an honor to reflect on his service to our Nation and to the Marine Corps as we approach the 236th birthday of the Corps.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,971,1831,021,178.32.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,333,405,274,884.52 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the career of Master Gunnery Sergeant Stephen A. Gould as he retires from the United States Marine Corps Reserves.

Master Gunnery Sergeant Gould retires from the United States Marine Corps Reserves on 1 November 2011, with over 30 years of service. He has served as a Rifleman, a Reconnaissance Man, an Infantry Unit Leader and an Intelligence Analyst. During his career he has served in multiple countries in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Master Gunnery Sergeant Gould enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 21 Oct 1981 and attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA. After completing Infantry Training School at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA, and Amphibious Reconnaissance Course at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, CA, Private First Class Gould was assigned to Det. Fourth Force Reconnaissance Company, Reno,

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,993,709,044,140.78.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,355,283,297,846.98 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,943,613,298,774.71.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,305,187,552,480.91 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,940,671,706,465.75.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,302,245,960,171.95 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.