[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 76 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     GRIDLOCK ENDED IN JANUARY 1993

  (Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, there is a myth being propagated 
throughout this Nation by the nay-saying Republicans that Congress is 
mired in gridlock. They propound this myth because they have no 
positive accomplishments of their own. They fear that without this 
smokescreen the American people will see the truth--that they are 
intellectually bankrupt and their vision stretches only backward to 
Harding and Hoover.
  The Democratic Party with our strong young President has been acting 
to move our Nation into the next century.
  Last year the Democratic Party signed into law the first actual 
reductions in discretionary spending. This year you are seeing the 
direct results each day as the 13 appropriation bills are passed by the 
House. Bill after bill is less than the current fiscal year in 
discretionary spending. When we finish these bills in the coming weeks, 
discretionary spending will be actually reduced for the first time in 
decades.
  The Democratic Party is the real party of fiscal responsibility.
  The Democratic Party is meeting the needs of the work place of the 
next century by providing leadership to meet the education and training 
needs of the next century in the global economy.
  We have passed Goals 2000 education reform and we are funding it even 
while we reduce the deficit.
  We have passed the School-to-Work Act to assist transitioning our 
young people from high school to the workplace, and we will fund it 
while reducing the deficit.
  We have passed the National Service Act and we are funding it.
  We have passed Head Start renewal and we are increasing the funding 
while we reduce the deficit.
  This House has passed the elementary and secondary education 
reauthorization which contains the most far-reaching changes in these 
programs since the 1960's to move our children into the next century 
and we are increasing the funding. We will pass this into law into the 
coming months.
  We passed the Family and Medical Leave Act to bring common decency 
into the workplace and recognize the changing nature of work and the 
family.
  We passed the motor-voter bill to expand the ability of Americans to 
participate in government.
  We have acted to address the environmental problems of our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Party is improving America and getting us 
ready for the next century. The Republicans are mired in the past and 
can only oppose.
  Mr. Speaker, when we finish the 103d Congress in the next few months, 
we will have established the most far-reaching and forward looking 
record in many years and it will be capped by the passage of health 
care for all Americans.

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