Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

I am here today, on behalf of a couple of Senator Nunn's former colleagues, Senator Warren Rudman and Senator Paul Tsongas and the bi-partisan organization they founded over three years ago, the Concord Coalition Citizen's Council. Today is a special day for our organization as we recognize Senator Nunn with a very unique award for his superior legislative performance involving the most vital economic issue of the day, balancing the federal budget.

Before I briefly explain the award and the Coalition, I would like to thank Charlie Harmon and the Senator's staff for their enthusiastic assistance with today's presentation. How fitting it is, for an award of this nature to be presented before a Chamber of Commerce audience. No other issue more drastically affects our future as does the issue of balancing the budget.

This issue is why the Concord Coalition exists.

We are a non-profit, grassroots organization dedicated to eliminating the federal budget deficit. The Concord Coalition believes that this is the key to increased savings and investment. Balancing the budget will produce a stronger economy, create new jobs, and yield greater job security for this and future generations.

From our beginning, we have been able to look to special leaders like Senator Nunn who support key deficit related issues. Not only has he worked tirelessly on his own proposals to balance the budget, but he also whole-heartedly supports other deficit reduction plans, even when it comes from across party lines.

Recognized universally as an expert in military related issues, Senator Nunn realizes that not only does America face great physical challenges and dangers around the world, but that this country faces equally great fiscal challenges from within our borders.

It has been said that Americans are at their best when confronting the wolf at the front door, but at their worst when it comes to dealing with the termites in the basement. Senator Nunn is the exception to that belief, which in itself makes him an exceptional American leader.

It must be so difficult to make those tough choices. He often receives contradictory messages from us voters: Don't raise taxes...Don't take away programs that benefit our state...but in the same breath the voters demand a balanced budget.

Warren Rudman says of Senator Nunn, that when faced with this seemingly impossible dilemma, few legislators summon the courage to do the right thing. He says, and I quote, "Sam Nunn is one of those legislators who does the right thing, consistently, vote after vote."

Today, the Concord Coalition is releasing our 1996 Congressional Scorecard entitled Tough Choices, Who Made Them and Who Didn't. This scorecard is based on twenty-one Senate votes which were selected because they:

• involved deficit reduction,
• involved means testing of entitlements or other benefits
• offered a way to pay for new spending rather just adding to the deficit
• and because the votes involved government efficiency measures and the elimination of pork barrel projects

It gives me great pleasure to formally proclaim that not a single Senator, Democrat or Republican outscored Senator Nunn. Of all the votes, amendments, and motions that dealt with balancing the budget, he scored a 96 percent.

Due to the direct actions of our Senator, I am confident that before my generation passes, we will be able to say, that back in the 1990's, we were on the brink of generational warfare, and then there was Nunn.

We will be able to say, that one time the Congress was ripped apart by partisan bickering that blockaded efforts to save America's future, and then there was Nunn.

And finally, we will soon be able to say, that once we had a budget deficit, and then there was Nunn.

Please join me in one more round of applause as I present the 1996 Deficit Hawk award to the American Patriot and Statesman, Senator Sam Nunn.