[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 19, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           STATE OF TENNESSEE NOW ENJOYS REPUBLICAN MAJORITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Bryant] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight and join my 
fellow colleagues from Tennessee to proudly announce to this body that 
for the first time since reconstruction, the Tennessee State senate has 
a majority of Republicans.
  State Senators Rusty Crowe of Johnson City and Milton Hamilton of 
Union City last week made the decision to make Tennessee history.
  If I am not mistaken, this is the first time since the 104th Congress 
convened that a State senate has seen a party switch.
  And what's more, it didn't even take an election to do it.
  Senator Hamilton had served as a State senator for 25 years as a 
Democrat. After he made his announcement to switch parties, he said, 
and I quote: ``I'll be honest with you. I should have switched a long 
time ago.''
  Prior to his switch, Senator Crowe stated, and again I quote: ``If I 
do it, it will be because I believe it's the right thing for my 
constituency.''
  Mr. Speaker, clearly this latest action reinforces and validates the 
notion that our party has a vision for the future, that the fundamental 
restructuring of government we are implementing at the Federal level is 
continually gaining support at the State level.
  Tennessee is leading the way for all of America for the cause of a 
smaller, less costly, and less intrusive Federal Government, and like 
my fellow colleagues here with me tonight, I'm proud to be a part of 
it.
  But all of this positive change just did not take place on its own. 
It took many hours of long, hard work in order for this revolution to 
be realized.
  While there were many who helped what once was surely only a dream to 
become a reality, there are a couple of individuals who have devoted 
themselves to the Republican cause.
  Before I close, I would like to take just a moment to acknowledge the 
hard work and dedication of two special people back home.
  Our State party chairman, Randle Richardson, deserves as much credit 
as anyone for securing a Republican majority in the senate. Randle has 
worked tirelessly for our party, and has devoted his life to the cause 
of a common-sense government.
  And my predecessor, my good friend Gov. Don Sundquist, had a lot to 
do with this. Governor Sundquist has always extended an open and 
welcome hand, and we should all applaud him for his efforts.

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