[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 11, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONTINUING PROCESS OF REFORMS

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, 1 week ago today we passed the most dramatic 
reforms of the way this institution does business in literally decades. 
It was done under the most open amendment process imaginable. We had 
votes up or down on eight different provisions that passed, not by a 
simple up-or-down vote as we have had in years past when the Congress 
has organized.
  We right now up in the Rules Committee are holding a hearing on the 
unfunded mandates question so we will not see Congress continue to 
impose constraints on State and local government without providing the 
wherewithal to comply with those constraints. There are a wide range of 
things that are going to be going on during this 100-day period.
  But I think it is very important for us to realize that while we did 
pass these eight major reforms a week ago today, the issue of reform 
did not end on January 4. We are continuing to review further 
opportunities to change and improve the operations of the U.S. Congress 
so that it can in fact become more accountable to the American people 
and once again be established as the greatest deliberative body known 
to man.


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