[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 2 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          REFORM PROCESS SHOULD INCLUDE BAN OF LOBBYIST GIFTS

  (Mr. BENTSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute, and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, last night this House proclaimed its 
intentions to pursue a course of reform. Member after Member asserted 
they were acting on the will of the people and taking the lead to 
change the way we do business.
  Fair enough, but let us not stop, let us not recess, but move on and 
tackle the issues which the people of the 25th District desire to be 
addressed--a lobbyist gift ban and campaign finance reform. My 
constituents want to change business as usual--end free trips, curb the 
influence of special interests, reform campaign finance, and stop the 
money chase. You cannot have one without the other.
  I just defeated a man who spent $3 million of his own money. As long 
as we engage in a bidding war for campaign dollars, we shall never be 
free from the influence of outside interests. To quote Willie Nelson, 
``We came to play, not just for the ride.'' Let us stay and do the job 
to reform campaign finance and ban lobbyist gifts.

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