[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H547-H548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       WHERE IN AMERICA IS FREE SPEECH IF NOT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR

  (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, free speech, free debate, the free flow and 
exchange of ideas, has once again been denied the American people by 
the majority party.
  Last night our Democratic leader asked to debate the majority leader. 
As is customary, 1 hour was set aside for debate. The new majority 
leader only granted our leader 3 minutes to debate, 3 minutes to 
debate.
  Why will the majority not engage in debate on this floor? Why can we 
not debate the Democratic alternative to a balanced budget amendment? 
Why can we not debate the Democratic line-item veto, which was passed 
twice in the last session? Why will the majority not let America debate 
the Contract with America?
  If there is no free speech, if there is no free debate, if there is 
no free exchange of ideas on this floor, then I must wonder where in 
this great Nation will the majority leader allow any free speech?
[[Page H548]] URGING THE PRESIDENT TO EMULATE GOVERNOR WHITMAN AND FIND 
             A WILL AND A WAY TO REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING

  (Mr. MARTINI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, tonight Gov. Christie Todd Whitman will 
give the response to the State of the Union Address. She was chosen 
because of her determination to work for a smaller, smarter, less 
costly government in New Jersey.
  It has been said ``for democratic nations to be virtuous and 
prosperous, they require but the will to do it.'' Governor Whitman has 
displayed that will by her actions in making the tough decision. I can 
only hope tonight the President will come to Capitol Hill with that 
same determination to work with the new majority in Congress to once 
and for all transform the Federal Government.
  Since January 4 the new Congress has demonstrated that type of will. 
This was apparent in the passage of the Congressional Accountability 
Act, as well as our willingness and determination to move forward to 
pass the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and the balanced budget 
amendment.
  Mr. Speaker, after the speeches are done tonight, what the American 
people will be looking for is not more talk, but rather for our 
President to cooperate and reaffirm the simple but effective lesson 
taught to us by Governor Whitman of New Jersey: Where there is a will, 
there is a way.

                          ____________________