pete domenici, you served with pete, he served with a democratic wise lady, alice rivlin, on another debt commission. he testified before the budget committee recently, i have never feared more for my country. that was a deep personal statement from pete domenici, who chaired the budget committee in the senate previously. what are you hearing from your constituents i and what's your belief at this time in history about the dangers we face? mr. coats: well, senator, it's interesting you ask that question, because i just left my office in a meeting with pete domenici literally 15 minutes ago. mr. sessions: really? mr. coats: because he came in to express that same -- that same urgency and burden i think, as former chairman of the budget committee here for so many years, he certainly understands the current fiscal situation that we're in. his -- his views echo the voices and views of people across this country, from economists, whether they're liberal or democrat, whether they're harvard or indiana university, that have -- have -- and the whole spectrum of the -- saying this is an emerg

alice ribling with pete domenici, now retired from the senate, said, i've never been more afraid for my country. one of the most eloquent orators i've ever heard in the senate. never been more afraid for my country. when you have deficits that this year, we take in $3.07 - in $3.07 -- $3.8 trillion -- excuse me. we take in $2.2 trillion and spend $3.7 trillion, borrowing 40 cents of every dollar we spend, we are creating a nation at risk. that's what we're talking about. so this past election, it was a big issue. all over america candidates ran for office and the ones who were the big spenders who are in denial about the danger the nation faces got is shalacked. there was the biggest republican victory in 80 years, over one issue, spending, really. i mean that's what it was. when we come into the senate and they had only passed when they had this supermajority in the house and in the senate and they passed a -- what -- five-year -- five-month continuing resolution, the democrats didn't pass a budget nor did they pass a single appropriations bill. everybody knew that after this electi

pete domenici, part of the rivlin-domenici commission, debt commission, similar to the bowls-simpsonion, former chairman of the budget committee in the senate, said "i've never been more worried for my country." are senator conrad and senator domenici extreme? i think not. only three bodies can propose spending plans. the white house budget has been submitted. it would doubt our debt, surge our -- it would double our debt, surge our interest spending, increasing spending at every level and raise taxes substantially. now we will tomorrow have the house plan. it will be released by budget chairman rein. it is the most serious attempt ever made to solve america's spending and debt problems while saving critical programs such as medicare. saving those programs. they are heading to default now. what does the senate plan to do? the democrat senate. doing nothing seems to be what the plan is. we haven't even a budget proposal and haven't had any hearings set to morning a budget proposal. i doubt that the president's plan will be brought forward in its present form because it would receive n

they have been using the phrase that i thought interesting that pete domenici, former senator from new mexico, former chairman of the budget committee you now participating with alice rivlin in a plan to deal with our damaging, dangerous deficit, pete said, i've never been more afraid for my country, never been more afraid for my country. and that's the heart and soul of the people who stood up in this last election, who are concerned about their country, and it's the establishment that go along, the no-change, the people in denial that we can't cut spending, somehow it will never work, no matter what we do, won't make any difference. so, mr. president, i thank the chair. i see my colleagues here, and i will be pleased to yield the floor. mr. sessions: mr. president, i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the presiding officer: the senator from delaware is recognized. a senator: i ask we vitiate the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. a senator: mr. president, i rise today to add my voice to those