[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              MORE ON THE REPUBLICAN CONTRACT WITH AMERICA

  (Mr. EHLERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, 1 week ago, over 300 Republicans stood on 
the steps of the Capitol and signed a contract with America. I thought 
this was a noble endeavor, an unusual action during the campaign year, 
to actually say what we were going to do after the election and sign a 
statement to that effect.
  I am relatively new here. I have had some surprises, but the biggest 
surprise has been the reaction to the contract of the majority party 
and some of the members of the press.
  One reaction is, ``We cannot afford it.'' Or, ``How are we going to 
pay for it?'' As an outsider, I find those questions incomprehensible. 
How can we not afford to save money? I think it is great if we can save 
money. I think it is great if we can reduce the budget here. What a 
strange attitude for the majority to display.
  Now I am beginning to understand what is meant by the ``inside the 
beltway'' mentality.
  I come from the State of Michigan, which cut their budget by $1.8 
billion a few years ago. The net result is a budget surplus this year. 
The net result is that for the first time in 20 years the State of 
Michigan has an unemployment level that is lower than the Nation as a 
whole.
  We can afford the contract and we can pay for it. I urge that we 
adopt it.

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