[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 120 (Monday, July 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              LOBBY REFORM

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, in Texas we believe in giving credit where 
credit is due. Today I, as a Democrat, rise to salute and applaud the 
Republican majority leader, Bob Dole, for allowing gift and lobbying 
reform measures to come before the U.S. Senate this week.
  I believe that this is a great development for the American people, 
who will recall that in the waning hours of the last session a 
Democratic initiative for lobby reform was killed by Republicans to the 
cheers of lobbyists outside.
  Senator Dole has at least reluctantly agreed to the Democratic 
demands for a vote on measures severing the ties that bind lobbyists to 
legislators in this Congress.
  Strangely, the Washington Times reports that the same thing is not 
happening here in the House of Representatives. Rather, they report 
that the House Republican leadership's agenda calls for no action on 
gift and lobby reform this year.
  Students of Congress know that if we delay until next year, we will 
not get the reform we need.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time for Speaker Gingrich and the Republican 
leadership to follow Senator Dole's lead and reluctantly agree to 
Democratic demands that we address gift reform and lobby reform now and 
stop intimidating those who demand that we address them.

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