[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CRISIS CREATES SOME OPPORTUNITIES

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, what an incredible irony, this budget crisis 
that we are facing and have been going through for the past several 
weeks. The irony is that we have found that devolution is working 
because this crisis has created an opportunity for it. We saw the 
President in his news conference the other night talk about the pain 
that will be created, has been created, with this Government shutdown, 
the Meals on Wheels Program in jeopardy, unemployment benefits not 
being paid, Medicare recipients not being reimbursed, Medicare 
providers not being reimbursed.
  Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that was nothing more than a 
sky-is-falling speech that the President gave.
  This morning on National Public Radio a very interesting piece was 
provided in which they went around the country and talked in a number 
of States with those involved with the Meals on Wheels Program, 
Medicare providers, those who were dealing with the unemployment 
benefits issue, and State and local governments are in many instances, 
not all, but in many instances, picking up the responsibility there. So 
we have, in fact, got a tremendous opportunity to deal responsibly with 
this issue, and devolution is going to work.

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