[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 17, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1001-S1002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A NEW ADMINISTRATION IN PENNSYLVANIA

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, earlier today the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania established a new administration with a new Governor, Tom 
Ridge, and a new Lieutenant Governor, Mark Schweiker, in very ornate 
and interesting ceremonies at the State capital in Harrisburg, PA. That 
event is worth a comment for our colleagues for permanency in the 
Congressional Record.
  Tom Ridge is a man well known to those of us in the Congress because 
Congressman Ridge served for 6 terms, 12 years in the House of 
Representatives, and takes an extraordinarily fine record to the 
Governor's chair in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  Governor Ridge had served in Vietnam, he had served as a prosecuting 
attorney in Erie County, PA, and he had served as a distinguished trial 
lawyer. Today he became the Governor of Pennsylvania.
  Pennsylvania is a State which is now in its 314th year, some 100 
years-plus more than the United States of America. And Governor Ridge 
made a very, very profound speech in outlining his aspirations and 
goals for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He talked about the 
problems of an expanding economy, talked about the issue of crime, 
discussed the future of education, talked about environmental control 
with an appropriate balance for an expanding economy and for job 
opportunities in what was a profound and distinguished speech.
  He said that tomorrow he will call a special session of the 
legislature of Pennsylvania to deal with the issue of crime. And was 
eloquent in his determination to hold accountable, as he put it, 
``those who prey on the weak,'' and expressed his determination as the 
new Governor of the Commonwealth that they would be called to account 
and firm action would be taken.
 In his 
[[Page S1002]] definition he talked about addressing the social and 
economic causes of crime as well on a very broad approach to the 
problem. He called for a redefinition of the relationship between State 
government and the local communities, articulating on the State level 
the kind of legislation which is now being considered here in the U.S. 
Senate on trying to redefine the federalism and the relationship 
between the United States Government and the States.
  What Governor Ridge was talking about was leaving more authority in 
local communities to try to bring government down to the grassroots so 
that people in the townships and in the ``burbs'' or in the cities who 
know best what their problems are and can best address them in trying 
to reach as much revenue as possible, cutting taxes at the Federal 
level, cutting taxes at the State level, to leave the resources as 
close to the people as possible so that the problems are addressed by 
the people who know the most about them.
  He said in eloquent terms that, ``Government has gone too far in 
treating people as the servants rather than as the served,'' an 
objective which really ought to be the standard for all governments. He 
said again in eloquent terms, ``What government can do for people is 
limited. What people can do for themselves is limitless.''
  I think in that articulation he is talking about more accountability 
for the individual, more opportunity for the individual, and really 
more responsibility for the individual.
  Sworn in alongside Governor Ridge today was a distinguished 
Pennsylvanian, Mark S. Schweiker, who came to that position having 
served as a commissioner in Bucks County. Mark Schweiker made a very 
distinguished speech as well in his induction ceremony in the ornate 
Pennsylvania Senate an hour-and-a-half before Governor Ridge took the 
oath of office. One of Lieutenant Governor Schweiker's statements, 
which was very profound, was, ``A government big enough to give you 
everything you want is a government big enough to take everything you 
have.''
  I think in Pennsylvania today with the legislature, both houses, the 
State house of representatives and the State senate, under Republican 
control, and the newly elected Governor being a Republican, mirrors 
very much what happened in the elections nationwide last November.
  If I may say, not in a partisan sense, but in a recognition of what 
the voters did, returning to what would be called core Republican 
values as expressed by the people in the historic election of the 
Republican U.S. House of Representatives and in a change in leadership 
in the U.S. Senate now controlled by the Republicans and an effort to 
return to core values of limited Government, less spending, lower 
taxes, strong crime control, that is the pledge which was made by two 
very distinguished Pennsylvanians today, Gov. Tom Ridge and Lieutenant 
Gov. Mark Schweiker.
  Mr. President, if anyone else seeks recognition at this point, I 
would be glad to yield. If not, I would like to proceed to a discussion 
of another subject.
  I ask unanimous consent that I may proceed again in morning business 
for a period not to exceed 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SPECTER. I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania [Mr. Specter] is 
recognized.
  (The remarks of Mr. Specter pertaining to the submission of Senate 
Resolution 60 are located in today's Record under ``Submission of 
Concurrent and Senate Resolutions.'')


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