[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 186 (Monday, November 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                STAND ON THE SIDE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized 
during morning business for 2 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE. Mr. Speaker, in World War II, my grandmother sent 
three of her sons off to World War. My father, the youngest one, 
remained at home with the promise of an aspiring artist, someone who 
would work and support the family, and he got an opportunity to be a 
commercial artist for a period of time.
  Then the returning soldiers came home, most of whom did not look like 
my father. And so he was relieved of his job on the basis of the color 
of his skin.
  Listening to that story and watching him work all those years in jobs 
that did not compare to his capabilities, I promised myself that I 
would always stand on the side of opportunity for all men and women, no 
matter what their race, their religion, or their ethnic background.
  So when we came upon this crisis here in this country, shutting down 
the Government not just hurting Federal workers but for hurting 
Americans, 800,000 that had faces and lives and families, I promised 
that I would not leave this House floor, never would I leave it because 
I was going to stand on the side of opportunity for Americans.
  I am glad to be a freshman who came here on the basis of reform and 
change and not to simply talk about partisan politics and discuss who 
is a Republican and who is a Democrat, but simply who stands for those 
who need an opportunity.
  I am very proud that the Democrats started out early in the week and 
said we need to come together, we need to understand that this battle 
of the budget is not something about 7 years or 10 years, it is about 
humanity and people. It is about understanding Medicare and Medicaid, 
it is about my grandmother, who died before she was able to fully 
accept the privileges of having worked all her life and have good 
health care.
  So we stayed here. My freshman Democratic class argued on the House 
floor Friday night that we should not leave until this problem was 
resolved. And we did not leave here Saturday or Sunday because we knew 
there was an opportunity for compromise and reconciliation, not for the 
scorekeepers but for the American people.
  And so proudly as we stayed here Saturday, when the vote showed 361 
to 32 voted to stay, but because, maybe, the Speaker had to get off the 
back of the plane, rather than respect the will of the House and stay 
in session. The Republicans were instructed to leave in droves. It was 
the Democrats who stayed here to compromise on a document that has 
captured the real spirit of what Americans want.
  We have got a good CR. We have got a continuing resolution, but we 
have got one for the people. We have got one that provides for Medicaid 
and education and agriculture and national defense and veterans and the 
environment.
  We have a continuing resolution [CR] that promises a balanced budget 
in 7 years which I will vote for. However this CR also has the 
opportunity now, through the President's and Democratic negotiations of 
listing priorities like education, Medicare, Medicaid, the environment 
among others which should be protected by which the budget process is 
to be guided. Now we can craft a new balanced budget with the right 
priorities. Let us continue to provide opportunities for Americans.

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