[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             SAYING ``NO'' TO THE SOUND BITES AND PHOTO OPS

  (Mr. GUTIERREZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, as you well know, posing for photo ops, 
listening to sound bites, and giving easy answers can be kind of 
addictive.
  Sometimes, the sound-bite addict needs a little help in kicking the 
habit.
  In this House, that Republican habit is to stand before the cameras 
and pretend that they are getting our budget in line without hurting 
working Americans.
  That is why this House passed a rescission package that went easy on 
closing tax loopholes for the rich and eliminating Government 
bureaucracy and boondoggles.
  But those rescission got tough on something.
  They got tough on summer jobs and worker training, and they got tough 
on student loans and day care.
  Well, these sound bite addicts are about to get some tough love.
  It is called a veto pen.
  I applaud President Clinton and his tough choice to say no to the 
sound bites, photo ops and easy answers that hurt our kids, hurt our 
students and punish working Americans.
  And I encourage my friends on the other side of the aisle to kick 
their easy answer habit before it is too late for the American people.

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