[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 2 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H130-H131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WHO WAS HELPED AND WHO WAS HURT AFTER FIRST DAY'S ACTIONS?
(Mrs. CLAYTON asked and was given permission to address the House for
1
[[Page H131]] minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, we worked from yesterday until early this
morning. We now have nothing to do on the floor for the next couple of
weeks. At the end of each day, I believe it is important to be honest
and to ask the question: Who was helped and who was hurt by what we
did?
Do not get me wrong, Mr. Speaker, we passed important reforms, many
of which Democrats had pushed last Congress.
But, who did we help, and who did we hurt? The jobless remain
unemployed. Those without health care still don't have it. Our young
have no new direction. The chill of winter is certain to claim the
lives of some homeless people. And, no hope was given to small farmers.
We have been asked to meet the challenge of change, but what did we
change on day one and day two of this Congress? I ask my colleagues in
the majority, what did we do to reinforce families? What did we do to
restore the American dream? What did we do last night to take back our
streets? Who did we help?
I would suggest that when it is summed up, all we did was make a move
for news; those suffering citizens got nothing.
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