[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H15261-H15262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN UNNECESSARILY INCONVENIENCES CONSTITUENTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Kaptur] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to follow on the remarks of our 
distinguished minority leader here. This is a serious moment for our 
country. Our congressional office has now been in receipt of phone 
calls from constituents who are not able to get their passports 
processed because of the shutdown of the Government. So, in addition to 
veterans, whose checks are being threatened at this point because this 
Congress and this Speaker chooses not to move legislation through this 
body that will keep the various agencies operating, and not 
inconveniencing the public during this very busy travel season, it is 
truly a tragedy what is happening here just to make some sort of 
political point.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is time for people here to grow up or get 
out, and to deliver the kind of services to the American public that 
they expect of us. We have thousands of families across this country 
who have filed for home mortgages that have a relationship to HUD where 
they insure and process those mortgages. Mr. Speaker, 20,000 of those a 
month cannot be processed because of this Government shutdown.
  We are inconveniencing the American people from coast to coast. We 
have tourists all around this country that cannot get into the 
monuments. Think of when in recent history my colleagues ever remember 
this happening. This does not need to happen, especially during this 
very important season of the year when so many people are traveling and 
expecting the goodwill that this season represents to govern our 
actions toward others.


                      yes! toledo wins in overtime

  Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor this afternoon on a little bit 
lighter subject, and I would like to say that my good colleague from 
the State of Nevada has elected not to join me here this afternoon, but 
I am compelled to rise to tell my colleagues that if they happened to 
miss the first college bowl game of the 1995 season, they may have 
missed the best, most historic bowl game of the year.
  Mr. Speaker, in the Las Vegas Bowl, the still undefeated University 
of Toledo Rockets beat the University of Nevada Wolf Pack 40 to 37 in 
the first overtime game in the history of post-season college football.
  It was a close game, as evidenced by the 34 to 34 fourth quarter 
score sparkling with flashes of offensive brilliance on both sides. But 
in overtime, Reno's Wolf Pack defense could not withstand the onslaught 
of Rocket star Wasean Tate's powerful running game. 

[[Page H15262]]
Tate scored a touchdown and the game, as it is often said and this time 
never more true, was history.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from 
Nevada [Mrs. Vucanovich], for graciously honoring our friendly wager by 
awarding our team this Nevada Wolf Pack sweatshirt, which I intend to 
present to the team at an appropriate moment, for it was they who won 
it fair and square.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to say to the Rockets, because I know many of 
them are listening, and as this particular T-shirt indicates over here, 
are undefeated champs of the mid-American conference. Our newspaper had 
a complete front page headline: ``Toledo Rockets Win Vegas Bowl.'' We 
are so extremely proud of them and their hard work.
  Go Rockets and Go Toledo and thank you, Mrs. Vucanovich.

                          ____________________