[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 24, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PRESIDENT PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR THE NATION

  (Mr. BONIOR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend President Clinton on 
a magnificent State of the Union Address. More than anything else last 
night, I think the President talked about family in a way that I have 
not heard around here for a very long time. He made it very clear in a 
very poignant statement that the primary duty of parents today is to 
raise our children. I think we all realize that our problems, crime, 
gang violence, education, breakdown in community values, would not 
happen if we had stronger parents and stronger families.
  Washington does not have all the answers. But there are certainly 
things that we can do to help these families, like giving parents a 
$10,000 tax cut for college expenses, increasing the minimum wage, 
protecting pensions, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, and passing the 
V-chip legislation that will help parents control some of the garbage 
that is flowing into homes today.
  Mr. Speaker, the President did a good job laying out those challenges 
that the Nation faces and I hope each of us on both sides of the aisle 
will pick up the challenge and move this country forward.

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