[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 199 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TREATING OUR FELLOW MEMBERS WITH RESPECT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Roemer] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk very briefly about 
something that is concerning me very deeply, especially in light of 
some of the debate or lack of debate that took place in this Chamber 
last night on the Bosnian question.
  President Bush referred to a growing mood on Capitol Hill as a 
climate of ugliness, and President Thomas Jefferson talked about, when 
he wrote the manual that we all read as new Members of Congress and try 
to refresh our memories about the rules of civility and comity in this 
body; we all read Thomas Jefferson's words, and he stated, and I quote:

       It is very material that order, decency and regularity be 
     preserved in a dignified public body.

  Mr. Speaker, I think that as the debate spirals downward at times and 
people resort to the temptation of name-calling, and finger-pointing, 
and fisticuffs rather than camaraderie, and civility, and community, 
that we not only hurt bipartisanship in this body now and in the 
future, but I think we tear at the fabric of what Americans deeply 
respect about this institution and what they want us to do today, and 
that is to work together to solve some of our problems in a bipartisan 
way on the budget, on making Congress work more efficiently and 
effectively, of downsizing Government, particularly committees and 
subcommittees here in this body, and that we can do it in a civil 
manner, being civil to one another.
  My very first vote, Mr. Speaker, 4\1/2\ years ago as a new Member of 
Congress was on the Persian Gulf, and I was inducted into this body 
with such a deep sense of awe and respect not because George 
Washington's picture is in this body, not because In God We Trust is 
above the flag here in this Chamber, but because Members treat each 
other with respect, and although we had disagreement on the timing of 
going to war, everybody respected the differences in opinion, and 
everybody was a patriot.
  Last night's debate did not include that kind of respect, and I want 
to conclude, Mr. Speaker, on a quote from Speaker Joe Cannon who once 
said:

       It is true we engage in fierce combat, we are often intense 
     partisans, sometimes we are unfair, not infrequently unjust, 
     brutal at times, and yet I venture to say, taken as a whole 
     the House is sound at heart. Nowhere else will you find such 
     a ready appreciation of merit and character. In few 
     gatherings in equal size is there so little jealousy and 
     envy.

  I think the first part of that statement is very true, Mr. Speaker. 
We do have fierce partisanship at times, but we should always have the 
nature and character of civility which is reflected in our rules come 
to the foremost, be held at the highest respect and esteem for all 
Members, and that we continue to work in a bipartisan way for what is 
best for the American people.

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