[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 40 (Friday, March 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H2588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              IS CONGRESS LOSING ITS SENSE OF PRIORITIES?

  (Mr. LUTHER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, a great American and fellow Minnesotan, 
Hubert Humphrey, once said that the moral test of government is how 
that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; 
those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are 
in the shadows of life--the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.
  For decades there has been bipartisan agreement in Congress on the 
importance of providing school lunches, and millions of children have 
been well-fed and well-educated.
  But I am concerned today that Congress may be losing its sense of 
priorities. Clearly, we need to balance the budget. But as we allocate 
our country's scarce resources, let us be sure to keep things in proper 
perspective.
  Last week this Congress voted to increase defense spending and next 
week we will consider a proposal to cut funding for school lunches.
  That is not what the American people sent us here to do. If we really 
care about those Americans in the dawn of life, our children, and we 
should, then we better get our priorities straightened out soon.

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