[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 120 (Sunday, August 21, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  (Mrs. SCHROEDER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, I think one of the reasons people get so 
angry with Members of Congress is they think we do not listen, we do 
not listen to the people who are on the ground doing certain things 
and, therefore, we make mistakes. Today we have a chance to show how 
well Members of Congress listen. If we listen to our mayors, if we 
listen to the law enforcement officers in this country who are out 
trying to hold the line every day against crime, if we listen to our 
district attorneys, if we listen to the people who are out all over 
this country trying very hard to turn this rapidly growing level of 
violence around, they are telling us to vote for this bill, that they 
need both prevention and tough laws, that this is the right formula. I 
think it is very arrogant to come down here and say, ``Well, it's 
nice.'' They all say that, but we know more.
  I say to my colleagues, ``When you look at the politics of that 
group, there are politics on both sides, Republican and Democratic 
mayors, and police chiefs and everyone coming forward. Let's vote for 
America, and let's listen to America for a change.''

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