[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NATIONAL COMMISSION TO STUDY IMPACT OF GAMBLING

  (Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, what we did today was good and appropriate. It 
kept the commitment and the word that the leadership and others in 
Congress made, and that was that Federal employees would not lose any 
salary, and they have not lost any salary and they will return to work 
and that will be good. I thank the Members on both sides of the aisle 
that brought that about. We thank the leadership because it is very, 
very positive.
  One other thing I want to announce, and hopefully we can work 
together on this, when we come back we will be bringing up legislation 
which will set up a national commission to investigate the impact that 
gambling is having in the country. Twenty years ago only two States had 
gambling. Now, 48 States have some sort of gambling and 24 have 
riverboat and casino gambling.
  Mr. Speaker, it will be a national commission of nine men and women 
who have no bias on this issue, who will look to see what the impact of 
gambling has been on the country. Has it been good or bad? Has there 
been corruption involved in it? Has there been involvement with regard 
to political contributions? What has the impact been on other 
businesses? What has the impact been on addiction?
  Hopefully, with what we did in the bipartisan manner today putting 
Federal employees back to work and paying them, we will pass this bill 
shortly when we come back.

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