[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 58 (Thursday, May 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                THIS IS A SPIRIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP? NOT.

  (Mr. WALKER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month the three ranking members 
of the committees most concerned with health care reform wrote their 
counterparts, the chairmen of those committees, and asked that we in 
the spirit of bipartisanship handle the health care reform issue.
  I quote from the letter that they wrote: ``Let us work together to 
build on a solid base of bipartisanship.''
  It is disturbing the reply they got from one of the subcommittee 
chairmen of one of those committees. I am going to read to you what he 
wrote. And when I use the term ``expletive deleted,'' it will refer to 
a term that refers to cow manure. He writes, ``Dear Bill: This is pure, 
unadulterated'' expletive deleted. ``You don't want health care reform, 
and you know it. Regards, Pete.''
  Mr. Speaker, when there is an attempt to work on important national 
issues in a spirit of bipartisanship, we ought to expect the Democrats 
who control this House to be far more responsive than this letter 
indicates. This is the kind of thing that destroys the legislative 
process and destroys the ability to work together for the common good 
of this Nation.
  I am personally appalled by what took place in this instance, and I 
think we are owed an apology from the House leadership and particularly 
from the gentleman involved in this particular letter.

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