[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 194 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  WHAT ARE THE DEMOCRATS TALKING ABOUT

  (Mr. RIGGS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I want to take just a moment to comment on 
what we are hearing from the other side of the aisle today. 
Particularly because yesterday the President vetoed the most important 
bill, the Balanced Budget Act of 1995, that has ever come across his 
desk. And after 2 years and 11 months, we are still waiting to see his 
version of a balanced budget.
  Here is what most of the Democrats are talking about today, Speaker 
Gingrich. Let me just tell my colleagues, selective memory is a fine 
thing, but there is a fine line between self-righteousness and 
hypocrisy, or have they forgotten the House bank and post office 
scandals that happened on their watch. Have they forgotten the two 
votes in the last Congress when they voted to block a Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct investigation into Dan Rostenkowski who 
was then a member of the House Democratic Party leadership, for 
allegations of misconduct and ghost employees, the same gentleman who 
is under indictment today. They have forgotten that.
  Here is the bottom line with this discussion. If my Democratic 
colleagues had any ideas on how to solve the major problems facing our 
country, they would be down here talking about them and not just 
continuing this character assassination against the Speaker.
  I think the American people see through it. It is time to get on with 
the people's business. It is time to do the right thing for our kids 
and our country, and it is time to balance the budget.

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