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Show , ... -:. .A;:,(-tlA(..-J'V,....vr.'Nu.i.f.1 y... l..t .' VV 'V','--'VwV:'"'''',,''!f-V.:-..,.sV ..-. v.' Hatch qUthis b ukgetmeBsufe WASHINGTON, D.C.-Sen. D.C.-Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, R-Utah, conducted hearings recently on ; a constitutional con-stitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. Hatch is chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, which is a subcommittee ; of the Judiciary Committee. "A constitutional amendment to balance the budget is .the most important issue the Constitution S u b -committee will consider during this congress. '" People don't realize'hbw enormous the1 federal , deficit reajly ' is; hopefully these hearings, will highlight the fact that' we must have a balanced budget to cure ' our economy." Hatch said.; After members of ; the subcommittee com-; mended Hatch in their opening remarks bnV giving the balanced., budget amendment, immediate attention,' each of the six congressional and non-congressional non-congressional .witnesses testified in support of the amendment. The witnesses wit-nesses emphasized the,-amendment the,-amendment was highly desirable from a con: -stitutional as well as' an economical perspective. . Hatch's '. subcommittee is considering; a. consensus' con-sensus' amendment,', which combines ;?a. balanced budget .and tax ' limitation provisions., "The : consensus amendment; would reduce the( present bias toward spending by creating countervailing political " " disadvantages for prspending votes that do not ..presently exist. For, the tirst time, votes to increase spen-, ding would, under normal circumstances,, have to be accompanied by votes in increased taxes or by votes;.; to reduce other spending' programs cqmrnenurately' Hatch said.', njr confident that the. (iohseris'us amend-meht amend-meht ,ha$(earned enough support;" in-' tHfe Senate Judiciary .Committee so , that 'we will, be able to report-it . to. the Senate. "J believe we are about as close-"' to' the first . Coristrtiional Convention! Con-vention! in our history as we have, ever- been. During the, past five years, thirty states have l-appjifed'-for.' a Constitutional Con-stitutional Cphvehtion on the subject of a balanced budgeV-'i Constitutional .Amendment ; Under oiir. constitution, , whenever - toethirds- of the s'tie's apply .'for a convention on some topic, conress is' obliged, to rcall such ,a iconverition. ' This 'sub'tfo'miriittee ( will . shortly be' considering -. 4egislati(.'J. io, establish ' ' procedures' ;f or such an' '.unprecedented;: -,: , .con-. ;; HatcH';-sai'di 'the sub-icommiit.Vyill sub-icommiit.Vyill conduct.. .AnQitep'rh&iiing ; bri;..-the ' amcfridjnC.y'. :';baiances the! budget' oh' April" 9. |