[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     A CLARIFICATION OF THE RECORD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hansen). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Orton] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ORTON. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, during floor debate on H.R. 2 and 
consideration of my amendment to extend line-item veto to contract 
authority, an exchange between myself and Mr. Shuster, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania, occurred which I would like to clarify.
  During debate, I made the following statement: I want to share with 
my colleagues a telephone call which I received from a mayor in my 
district. The mayor called to question my amendment and express concern 
over funding for a highway project in the city. The mayor stated that 
staff of Chairman Shuster had let it be known that they are looking at 
transportation projects in my district, and if I offer this amendment 
there will be retaliation. It was suggested that we would neither get 
any further contract authority nor authorization for appropriations for 
future funding of projects in my district. That statement is accurate.
  After my statement, Mr. Shuster sought recognition and made the 
following statement: My good friend mentions projects in his own 
district and a mayor calling him. Well I am a little surprised. I am 
told the gentleman has five projects which were in ISTEA.
  And later at the end of debate, Mr. Shuster again took the floor and 
made the following statement: My friend from Utah made the allegation 
that a member of my staff called the mayor of Provo, UT, to pressure 
him to get him to withdraw this amendment.
  I have not only talked to my staff, I have just gotten off the phone 
from talking to the office of the mayor of Provo, Ut. No one from my 
staff spoke to the mayor of Provo, Ut.
  I am sure my good friend in the heat of the moment made an honest 
mistake, but I would simply like to Record to reflect that.
  Mr. Speaker, tonight I have taken the floor to clarify the record.
  In my statement, I made no reference to which mayor contacted me. 
There are several cities in my district with transportation projects, 
including Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Orem City and Provo City 
among others.
  Also, I did not allege that the mayor called to pressure me to 
withdraw my amendment.
  Prior to making my statement yesterday, I spoke to the mayor and the 
lobbyist representing the city. This is what was reported to me: First, 
that a member of Chairman Shuster's staff informed the lobbyist 
representing the city that they were looking at transportation projects 
within my district and relayed a not so veiled threat of retaliation. 
Second, that the lobbyist conveyed the information to the mayor who 
then called me to express concern over funding for a project.
  After explaining my amendment to the mayor, the mayor expressed 
personal support for my amendment, saying that this was not the message 
the lobbyist wanted delivered but that I should do what is right and 
let the chips fall where they may. There are witnesses to my 
conversations.
  In closing, let me say that it appears to me that the information 
conveyed to me through the lobbyist and the mayor was accurate. 
Chairman Shuster referred exactly to the number of transportation 
projects in my district--and knew exactly which mayor to call, even 
though I have never referred to which city's mayor contacted me.


                          ____________________