[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 2 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE NEED FOR REAL LOBBYING REFORM
(Mrs. KENNELLY asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute.)
Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, a famous Hartford resident once said that
everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.
Well, to paraphrase Mark Twain, some people talk about reform, but
they do not always do it.
Yesterday, we considered fundamental reform--a ban on gift giving.
Yet, despite the majority's purported commitment to sweeping reform,
some of the most zealous congressional reformers opposed this
relatively minor change.
That is not right, and the American people deserve better.
Last November, Washington was sent a very strong message that
business as usual must stop. That means we should have passed the gift
ban.
I urge our friends on the other side of the aisle to follow through
on their commitment to reform, and to pass legislation such as the gift
ban to crack down on special interests and special influence. There can
be no true congressional reform without it.
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