[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S6019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, this is the last time I will close the 
Senate. I will open the Senate tomorrow morning. I will make a 
statement sometime around noon tomorrow. But I want to thank all the 
staff and all my colleagues. And we will all be looking back at what 
happens in this Congress, what action was taken, what did we do for the 
American people, what did we do to the American people.
  I believe when the record is added up, the asset side, the debit 
side, the assets will far outweigh the debit side. We are on the right 
track. We are trying to reduce the role of Government. We are trying to 
balance the budget, which 83 percent of the American people think we 
should do. We failed to pass a balanced budget amendment by two votes--
two votes last week, and last March by one vote. That is not the end. 
And I hope that that will happen sometime, if not this year, next year.
  But whether it is welfare reform or Medicaid reform or trying to save 
Medicare, trying to change the tax system, to downsize the IRS, and a 
lot of things we think should be done, my view is the American people 
will believe we are on the right track, as long as they are told the 
truth, and as long as we keep our word. If we do not tell the truth, 
then you cannot fault the American people for being cynical about 
Congress and about those of us who have been honored and privileged to 
serve in the Congress.
  So I will keep an eye on all you people now that I am leaving. We 
will look back from time to time and see how Congress is responding. 
And I will be back from time to time as my party's nominee to visit 
with the leadership in the House and the Senate and many of my other 
friends in the Senate.
  So it has been a good ride. I have certainly enjoyed my time as 
leader of the Republican side, as the majority leader and the minority 
leader. But I must say, I enjoyed more being the majority leader. There 
is a thing about being in the majority that is a bit better than being 
in the minority, particularly when as Republicans we waited so long for 
it to happen, 40 years. I think the Democrats agree, 40 years is a long 
wait. But it happened. We are proud of it. And we are proud of America.

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