[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 48 (Tuesday, April 16, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H3436-H3437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             GETTING GOVERNMENT OFF THE BACKS OF AMERICANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Foley] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the opportunity, and 
we are glad to be back in our Nation's Capital, and obviously it is tax 
week. April 15 has come and gone, and the American public has obviously 
hopefully filled out all of their appropriate papers. But it gives us 
cause to look at Government and talk about how we are trying to make a 
difference here in Washington, trying to get Government to look at 
itself and reflect on what its true mission is, to look at all levels 
of spending, to look at all that we do in trying to determine what is 
the most appropriate role for the Federal Government, what would be 
best reserved for the States, what would we expect from our leaders.
  I am particularly pleased that the National Taxpayers Union released 
its report on Congress. The National Taxpayers Union released its 
ratings from the 1995 session of Congress, the first of the 104th. I 
was proud to note 78 Members of this body scored an A rating. I was 
particularly delighted in the fact that 33 Members of the freshman 
class were A rated this year.
  In their release, the National Taxpayers Union suggested that Members 
did not only talk about reduction of spending in their districts, they 
emphasized it here on the floor of this Chamber. They showed by their 
deeds and by their actions their commitment to reducing the size and 
scope of Federal Government.
  Yes, we need to make priorities. Yes, we need to seek the direction 
that this Nation hopes to accomplish. But, by these ratings, we have 
clearly indicated, at least this Member personally, that we are 
prepared to make the tough votes, to bring us in balance in our Nation.
  We are spending in excess of $200 billion a year that we do not have. 
We have a $5 trillion national debt. It is costing us $300 billion in 
interest payments on the debt alone to service that debt. Even in the 
year 2002 when we fully balance the treasury and we do not have more 
going out than we have coming in, we will still have in excess at that 
point of $6 trillion in debt.
  Now, when you are spending $300 billion alone this fiscal year on 
interest payments, no principle reduction, you are clearly spending 
that $200 billion, and you are spending in excess $100 billion further 
in reducing the debt. Without that $300 billion you would have a 
surplus revenue to the treasury of over $100 billion.

  So part of the significant concern is reducing the debt, ratcheting 
it down, much like an individual does on a 30-year mortgage. They start 
paying down the debt, small incremental principle reductions, in order 
to bring down that devastating debt burden on our Nation.
  If the Members would think of $300 billion of free flow cash that 
could be used to enhance programs, actually you would have $100 
billion, but you take that toward education, pre-K programs, Head 
Start, things vitally important to getting our Nation's youth up and 
running so they enter first grade with reading and writing skills, 
basic skills, in order to become productive.
  I talked a little bit about what we tried to do in the crime areas in 
this Nation. It is time we stop coddling the criminals. I was entirely 
depressed the other day when I read the story about the gentleman from 
Texas who had committed sexual offenses against minors, who was being 
released from prison, and readily acknowledged that he would commit the 
crimes again. In our society we suggest that he be released and we put 
a monitoring bracelet on him.
  Here is a man that indicates he is going to perpetrate crimes against 
children, he may kill his next victim, and our Nation releases him. The 
penal system in Texas releases him because they claim they cannot hold 
him any longer. The mere utterance of the fact that he threatened 
bodily injury on another human being I think should have proven beyond 
a reasonable doubt that he should have been held in custody.
  If we are going to get tough on crime, we are having to get tough on 
sentences like this, where they are releasing perpetrators of serious 
felonies against children out into our society. We are not going to 
prove to the young people of America that crime does not pay, if in 
fact they witness daily people being released by judges, released by 
prisons, serving half the time allocated by the judge, serving 25 
percent of the allocable time.
  We tried to mandate we will not provide prison funds for States if 
they do not require serving 80 percent of sentences. We come up with 
gimmicks like ``three strikes and you're out.'' What is wrong with the 
first strike? Why do we need baseball metaphors to feel safe in our 
homes? Why not put them away the first time.
  When kids bring knives and guns to school, do not suspend them from 
campus. Do not send them home into the communities with guns and knives 
so they can rob homes while we are working. Put them in a boot camp. No 
marine wants to go back to basic training. Once they have completed it, 
they never want to return to basic training.
  The same could be held for our young juvenile offenders. If in fact 
they commit these types of crimes, put them in a boot camp and make 
them serve a sentence so they will not commit a crime again or will 
think twice about it.
  We can make a difference in America in this Congress. We can get 
tougher on criminals. We can balance the budget and save the Nation 
from fiscal collapse. But we must act now in the week of IRS' big gulp. 
Let us get the taxes reduced and Government off our backs.

[[Page H3437]]



               TRIBUTE TO THE LATE THOMAS JAMES PETTEWAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Franks] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FRANKS of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, Thomas James Petteway was a 
civic leader who was needed at his time, but he was also a civic leader 
who was truly ahead of his time. And for all of us who knew and loved 
him, Tom will be missed by us all the time.
  For his sisters and brothers, in-laws, nieces, and nephews and the 
many cousins, especially those that make up the branch of the Petteway 
family, now led by my mother Jenary Petteway Franks, we all loved Tom 
Petteway.
  But Tom was easy to love. Family came first with Tom, And he loved 
his family.
  He as a likable person. He was a good, decent individual.
  Anything Tom Petteway did, he did it well, And he did a lot. He 
served his country in the Army during WWII with distinction. He later 
presided over an area veterans club. He was an active member of the 
community.
  Tom was an active member of the Republican Party. Back when Tom 
registered to vote most blacks registered with the Republican Party. 
Unlike many, Tom stayed with the Republican Party over the years.
  I remember white old timers in the Republican Party telling me 
stories about Tom Petteway.
  I remember blacks, like Kay Wyrick, telling me about the Black 
Republican Club in which Tom headed at one time.
  Whites and blacks talked of Tom with sincere affection and 
admiration. But who could not remember his distinctive voice. Tom was a 
proud, articulate, well-educated man whose mere presence was felt by 
all whenever he appeared in a room.
  Tom served the city of Waterbury in an official capacity as a member 
of the Welfare Board.
  He served as president of the Waterbury Chapter of the NAACP during 
one of the most contentious civil rights periods.
  Without any doubt Tom Petteway distinguished himself as one of 
Waterbury's leading black civic leaders.
  Tom Petteway was a pioneer. Tom Petteway was ahead of his time.
  It was easier for my generation of black leaders because of people 
like Tom Petteway.
  That is why people from my generation need to pause and thank people 
like Tom Petteway for blazing the trail for us.
  And, I do that again today.
  When I was starting out in Republican politics back in the early 
eighties, it seemed as though Tom was always at the big events.
  He offered me a great deal of encouragement and he also gave me 
little tips from time to time, like for example: He said you may go to 
a meeting but what you may not realize is that there may have been a 
meeting before the real meeting in which you were not invited.
  It was not long before I too found that to be true.
  When the big Republican events turned out to be events for me, Tom 
was always there to offer his support. He was not feeling well all the 
time but he was always there.
  As a Congressman I frequently made it my point to stop by the West 
Haven Veterans Hospital to see my cousin Tom. And, he was well known 
there too.
  Tom Petteway was a leader in this time. Tom Petteway was ahead of his 
time.
  But for those who knew Tom, we are grateful that he lived during our 
time.

                          ____________________