[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11212-S11213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ELECTION TIME IS DECISION TIME

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, several of us want to continue our 
discussions of the upcoming election, discussions that have to do with 
the issues that are involved. It is election time. Of course, as 
evidenced by what the leader said today, the time is short. It is 
election time, and it is decision time. This is a government of the 
people, by the people, and for the people. Therefore, there is a 
responsibility for all of us, as voters, of course, to participate in 
the election, to participate as informed voters.
  If we are to have self-government, then the decisions and the 
direction that this country takes must be the result of the composite 
wisdom of voters. That time has arrived.
  It seems almost a paradox that in a time when technically we have 
more information available to us than we have ever had in history--
imagine 100 years ago how much we knew in Wyoming about what was going 
on in Washington. Very little. If we did, it was much after the event 
had happened. Now we know instantly, of course. The paradox is that it 
seems to me it is more difficult for us as voters now to kind of weed 
out among all the stuff that is out there as to what the real issues 
are. Whether it is the fault of the media, whether it is the idea of 
the media picking out the emotional things, whether it is the idea of 
professional campaign planners who spin and intentionally blur the 
issues, whether it is a Congress and an administration that seek to 
make the choices less clear, I do not know. Perhaps it is a combination 
of each of those.
  Nevertheless, you and I have a responsibility to choose. On my way 
back Sunday, I had a book I have been intending to read about the 
Constitution. I was struck by the idea that the Constitution, and more 
particularly the Bill of Rights, was designed exclusively to limit the 
powers of Government. You do not find in the Bill of Rights, the 
Government will do this, the Government shall do this, the Government 
shall provide that. It says, the Government ``shall not.''
  The great concern of our forefathers was to make sure that we limit 
the central Government, limit the power of central Government. Still, 
it seems to me, in our own way, in our own judgment, that is the choice 
we make. How do we see the Government? What do we think the role of the 
Federal Government is? Is it to provide all the little nice things we 
would like to have happen personally in our lives? Every day is a new 
program for something that is probably pretty nice. Is that the role? 
Or is the role more one of insuring freedom, insuring opportunity, 
insuring an environment in which the private sector can function, 
providing for strong local government, State and county?
  These are the decisions, and I know my prejudices are pretty well 
arranged. I seek to have a Federal Government that is the protector of 
those things, rather than a provider of those things. Obviously, there 
are things that are appropriate for the Federal Government to do--in 
interstate commerce, in defense and those kind of things. Those are the 
decisions that we will make. I hope each of us is prepared to do that.
  I happen to think we have begun to do some of those things in the 
last 2 years in this Congress, and, in fact, this has been one of the 
most effective Congresses we have had for a very long time. 
Unfortunately, our minority leader does not agree with that. He was 
quoted as saying this has not been a productive Congress. I am sorry to 
hear him say that. I do not agree. We will talk about a number of 
things that have been done, things I believe move us more into the 
direction of a smaller Federal Government, a less expensive Federal 
Government, a less regulated society.

[[Page S11213]]

  Lower taxes: In the 104th Congress, the Republicans passed a $245 
billion tax cut, including a $500 child tax credit to move toward 
allowing families to spend their own money, to allow families to 
provide for their children. Unfortunately, it was vetoed by the 
President.
  Lower spending: This Congress has cut spending $9.3 billion in 1995, 
and $23 billion in 1996 was eliminated from 270 programs. That is good. 
I think that is a real movement. The administration claims to have 
reduced the size of Government. Indeed they have--they claim, 200,000. 
The fact is that most was from the base closures, civilian employees of 
defense; the other was the termination of the savings and loan. 
Nevertheless, it reduced employees, and that is good.
  Balanced budget: How many times before the last 2 years did you hear 
people talking about balancing the budget? Not very much. It has not 
been balanced in 40 years. Now, suddenly, everyone is for it. The 
discussion is not, do you balance the budget; the discussion is, how do 
you do that? Unfortunately, the balanced budget amendment to the 
Constitution was defeated here. Nevertheless, we now are on the road to 
a balanced budget.
  Ending welfare as we know it: We have done that, something that has 
not been done for a very long time, providing the States more 
opportunity to do something about the entitlement aspect of welfare. 
Everybody wants to help people who need help. The question is, how do 
we help them to help themselves? That is what we have sought to do. It 
took three times to get it passed. Nevertheless, it is a success.
  Market-based health reform: Portability, availability, limited 
medical savings account, the end to preexisting condition exclusions, 
combat fraud and waste in health care. A success.
  Here is an interesting one, ensuring access to higher education. This 
Congress increased student loan volume by 50 percent, from $24 billion 
to $36 billion in 2002. Unfortunately, it was vetoed as part of the 
balanced budget amendment.
  Farm programs: Many of us have been involved in farm programs for a 
very long time. Most everyone has said we need to move toward market 
orientation, toward the marketplace. Finally, we have done that over a 
period of 7 years. Agriculture is moving toward a market-oriented 
economy. It needs to be done. Finally, it is done.
  We helped to end lawsuit abuse. Securities litigation was passed. 
Unfortunately, it was vetoed. Telecommunications was passed. A 
deregulation of telecommunications which give us some of the kind of 
new opportunities to communicate that we have never had.
  Unfunded mandates is something that local governments have been 
talking about for a very long time. Unfunded mandates reforms were 
passed this time.
  Regulatory reform: Unfortunately, the real broad one was killed. I 
think it should have been passed. A lesser one was passed.
  Mr. President, we have done a lot of things this time. Line-item 
veto: A line-item veto in 40 years has not been done. This Congress 
passed a line-item veto.
  Congressional accountability: People in this place, now, have to live 
under the same rules in their offices and in their conduct, the same as 
everybody else, in the laws they pass for others.
  Reduce congressional funding, small business regulatory reform, gift 
ban.
  Mr. President, I think this has been an extremely successful 
Congress. The choice with respect to the election is, do we want to 
continue in this direction, or do we want to go back to where we have 
been for 40 years in continuing to grow with the kind of Lyndon Johnson 
programs we have had? That is the choice. It is really the choice.
  I think, in addition, and perhaps as important as anything, this 
Congress has changed the culture of Washington. For the first time, I 
think, in a very long time--certainly for the first time since I have 
been here in 6 years--the Congress really took a look at programs that 
exist and said, do they need to continue to exist? If so, can they be 
done more efficiently? Could they be done more efficiently by the 
States or local government? These are the kind of things that need to 
be examined constantly.
  I have a bill that I hope gets consideration next year which would 
give us a biannual budget so we do not each year spend all of our time 
on appropriations bills. As you can see by the leader's comments this 
morning, we are still working on them, and we will not get them done at 
all this year. We do that every year. I hope, as most States do, we can 
go to a biannual budget. It is better for agencies. Then we can spend 
the last year with oversight, looking at programs, to see if indeed 
this is a better way to do it.
  There are a great many things we can do, a great many things we have 
done. Mr. President, my whole point is, in this election, we make some 
choices. It is not always easy. It is not always easy to determine 
where the choices lie, of course. We see all the advertisements, and 
sometimes you wonder where they are. But I think we have a 
responsibility to ask, to seek, to point out where these things are. 
Where do you stand on the balanced budget amendment? Where do you stand 
on less Government rather than more? Where do you stand on less taxes 
rather than more? I think those are the basic issues that you and I 
need to decide. I urge we all do that.

  There are other issues, of course. The issue of character, I think, 
is one. I think we have to ask ourselves, what do we expect of leaders 
in terms of character? As we look back, character has been an important 
factor, has been a key factor, and continues to be.
  Mr. President, we have some choices. The choices, frankly, are rather 
clear. We can go back where we were or we can continue the kinds of 
things that have been done in this Congress in the last 2 years, and it 
does need an opportunity to continue. You can't change 40 years of 
history and turn things around in 2 years. Despite the difficulties, it 
is my view that this Congress has done exceptionally well and will go 
down in history as one who has sought to turn the direction of this 
country. I hope that we continue to do that.

  I yield the floor.
  Mr. INHOFE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma is recognized.

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