[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 28 (Monday, February 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           THE FIRST 40 DAYS

  (Mrs. SEASTRAND asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. SEASTRAND. Mr. Speaker, this is day 41 of the new Congress. And 
what have we really accomplished? Plenty. We passed the balanced budget 
amendment to the Constitution, unfunded mandates reform and the line-
item veto. This week we are working to pass the final piece of the 
crime package that will insure criminals spend their time behind bars 
in prison, so law abiding citizens do not spend their time behind bars 
in their homes.
  Many of us ran for this office on the promise to take power from 
Washington and return it to the people closest to the problem. Our bill 
to fight violent crime recognizes that local governments know best how 
to deal with the problem. It gives them the tools, then gets out of 
their way.
  Yesterday, President Clinton's Chief of Staff said Washington 
politicians should direct crime-fighting dollars. Well, President 
Clinton may think Washington knows best, I think the American people 
know best.
  With this bill we continue to keep our promises to bring real change 
to Washington, to keep our contract on track and to fight violent crime 
with local solutions, not Washington-knows-best conclusions.


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