[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 96 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8199-S8200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           SETTING PRIORITIES

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, let me move quickly into what I thought 
might be appropriate. I, of course, spent my time at home during the 
Memorial Day recess,
 and I returned again to Wyoming this weekend. I would just like to 
comment very briefly on my impression of what we are doing here, after 
having been here nearly 6 months, and the impression that I received 
from those at home.

  First of all, let me say that I think there is an anxiousness in the 
electorate for the Congress to move forward. I wish, for example, and I 
want to just observe things as they occurred in 6 months from some 
previous experiences in the House.
  It seems to me we have a difficulty in setting priorities. It is too 
bad. There are some things surely most Members would agree are more 
important than others. It would seem we really do not have a set of 
priorities. I wish we could do that. Priorities on issues are fairly 
well-defined in the country, not certainly so well-defined here.
  It seems to me we ought to be able to manage time better than we do. 
Time, after all, is the resource that we have here, and certainly we 
consume too much doing many things. Time becomes sort of a political 
strategy, not particularly useful in debate, but rather being used to 
posture ourselves one way or the other. [[Page S8200]] 
  The balanced budget debate, for example, and certainly the issues, 
were exhausted relatively early, but the decisions did not come until 
the Members were exhausted. Perhaps that is the way it works. It does 
not seem like a good use of time.
  I suspect there is a great deal of posturing for the media. I have a 
hunch, and of course I was not here before the activities of the floor 
were shown on TV, but I suspect the conversations were somewhat shorter 
than they are now.
  It is difficult, and this is an irony, I do not know what we do about 
it. We have a better opportunity to communicate much more quickly than 
we have had in the history. Captain O'Grady shows up, and everyone 
knows about it 10 minutes afterward. That is wonderful, and that is the 
kind of communication we have. Yet we still seem to communicate in 
sound bites, where people really do not know the facts. That is too 
bad.
  I happened to see the Chief of Staff of the White House on ``Meet the 
Press'' the other day. It is almost as if a robot pushed a button and 
the same thing came forward time after time.
  I think it is exciting that we have an opportunity. I think there are 
issues out there. People are still concerned about taxes and spending. 
They think this Government is too big and costs too much.
  I think people sincerely want a balanced budget although there will 
be some pain. I think people are willing to undertake that pain, to be 
responsible in a financial area.
  I think regulatory relief is something that almost everyone would 
agree with. Most anyone would say we are overregulated in this country 
and we need to move more quickly to do something about that.
  Real tort reform. We have played with that some. It is not true yet, 
but it is real tort reform on the edges. We need to do something. Our 
folks say we need to do something about that.
  Welfare reform, I understand, will come next. I am pleased for that. 
It is something that surely needs to happen.
  Health care has moved off of the highest level of visibility, but it 
does not mean we do not have to do something. It does not mean that 
health care does not need some restructuring. We ought to have a chance 
to do that.
  States rights. Everyone understands that, if we can move Government a 
little closer to people, we will have better decisions, Mr. President.
  Those are, I believe, clearly the agenda of people in this country. I 
think the agenda of this body and the agenda of the Congress ought to 
more properly reflect that.
  I am a little discouraged. We have lots of efforts to block what is 
going on simply for the purpose of blocking. I am discouraged we do not 
have more leadership from the White House in terms of issues we are 
working on.
  I am encouraged, on the other hand, that there is a willingness to 
change. There is a willingness to move forward, particularly, I think, 
on the part of new Members. I think there is a willingness to make 
fundamental changes in the way the Government works and, for the first 
time in a very long time, to analyze some of the programs and say, is 
there a better way? Can we do it? Indeed, does it need to be done by 
the Federal Government?
  Mr. President, that is a quick, personal analysis of where we are. 
Obviously, it is thrilling and exciting to be here. I think this 
session has new opportunities to look at things.
  I urge that we do set a priority. I urge we do move forward with full 
debate, but not skidding our feet and trying to stop things from 
happening. People expect more of Government than that. I think the real 
measure of good Government is responding to what the voters have said.
  Mr. President, I look forward to the next 6 months. I hope it is at 
least as productive, and hopefully more productive, than the past. I 
yield the floor.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, under the order I was to be recognized at 
this point for 10 minutes. The distinguished President pro tempore has 
an appointment, and I ask unanimous consent that he may precede me, and 
I may then follow.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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