[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H9719-H9720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CONGRATULATIONS TO JASON REESE, NATIONAL YOUTH OF THE YEAR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Hilleary] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HILLEARY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise on a happy note and 
proudly congratulate a truly outstanding young man, Jason Reese, who 
last week was named the National Youth of the Year by the Boys and 
Girls Clubs of America.
  Mr. Speaker, Jason grew up in public housing in the east Tennessee 
city of Morristown, abandoned by both his father and stepfather. When 
his mother went back to school while continuing to work, he took on a 
great deal of household responsibility, including caring for his two 
younger brothers.
  But Jason has done so much more than help out at home--he became a 
leader at school, in his community, and in the Boys and Girls Club of 
Morristown.
  Among other honors, Jason maintained an excellent 3.83 grade point 
average in high school, was awarded the prestigious National Merit 
Scholarship, and won the east Tennessee High School physics 
competition.
  In the community, Jason has conducted programs for the elderly, 
helped restore a local park, and he currently volunteers his time 
helping young children with their homework.
  Jason Reese's incredible ambition and strong morals--coupled with the 
support and guidance of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America--helped him 
overcome adversity and become the role model he is today. I hope 
troubled youth around the Nation take Jason's example to heart.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend, the gentleman from Washington 
[Mr. Tate], who is going to continue to discuss many of the freshmen's 
outrage over welfare for lobbyists.


                         welfare for lobbyists

  Mr. TATE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for 
yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, that is exactly right. How it works, the hardworking 
people of America work hard, they pay their taxes, send it back to 
Washington, DC, then some bureaucrat to Washington DC grants that out 
to some organization that turns around and spends that money to lobby 
for more money from the Federal Government, to the tune of $39 billion, 
that is billion with a B, billion dollars every year spent by 
organizations in the form of public grants.
  We had a hearing yesterday. The opposition to our changes, ending 
welfare for lobbyists, resorted to calling us names, ``intimidators'', 
an ``Imperial Congress''. Let me tell you, we tore down the walls of 
the Imperial Congress on November 8, 1994. We are trying to change the 
way things are done.
  It is unfortunate they have to throw out things like ``red herrings'' 
and accusations and calling us names. I learned a long time ago if you 
have to start calling someone names, you really do not have much else 
to say. That is what is happening here in Congress. They do not have 
much else to say, so they have to call us names. The fact is your tax 
money, the working people of the United States, is going to 
organizations.
  Let me show you one of these organizations. For example, the National 
Council of Senior Citizens receives $70 million--in fact, it is even 
under, here it is $72 million every year--and 96 percent of that money, 
of their budget comes from the Federal Government. That is outrageous. 
Then they turn around and donate to political campaigns, to the tune of 
over $400,000 over the last couple of election cycles.
  The fact is they are involved in partisan political activities, 
including in my district, they are running as another organization, and 
they are involved in it under a different name, over $85,000 in 
television ads spreading the big lie. It is basically taxpayer-funded 
political advocacy on the dime of the taxpayers.
  When I ran for office I knew that the defenders of the status quo 
would spend every penny they had to try to stop what we are doing, but 
I had no idea they would be using the taxpayers' money in my district 
to try to fight it. That is the problem. I am not against political 
advocacy, and I am not against them lobbying, but what I am against is 
them using my dime at my expense. It is time they do it on their own 
dime and on their own time.
  It is time to end welfare for lobbyists. It is time to end the dirty 
little secret in Washington, DC that costs $39 billion every year. They 
are the defenders of the status quo. They will do everything they can 
to stop the changes that the people have demanded. If they 

[[Page H 9720]]
want to do it, do it on their time and on their own dime.

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