[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 CHANGE

  (Mr. GUTIERREZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, we have heard my friends on the other 
side of the aisle talk a lot about change. That is good. This 
institution needs some change. But in the past 3 weeks, Mr. Speaker, 
the American people have found out what type of change many of my 
colleagues were really talking about. We have discovered that a new 
criteria exists for being able to speak the truth on the floor of the 
House. We found out when the subject is questionable dealings by 
powerful Members of the House leadership, speaking the truth on the 
floor of the people's House is often prohibited. But that is not the 
only change, Mr. Speaker.
  We passed a Congressional Accountability Act that is far worse than 
what was passed by this House just last year because it did not 
eliminate a ban on gifts from lobbyists and allows Members to continue 
to use their frequent flyer miles for personal use. There are other 
changes, too. We are no longer talking about lobbying reform or 
campaign finance reform, the real critical changes that will truly make 
a difference in the way we conduct the people's business.
  Yes, many of my friends marched into this institution waving a banner 
that said, ``reform and change,'' but all we see today is the white 
flag.


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