[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THOUGHTS ON CONGRESSIONAL RETREAT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Combest] is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 1 minute.
  Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, there will be several facilitators from the 
bipartisan Hershey retreat who will be taking the floor today to talk 
about the positive things that happened from that meeting.
  Rather than me telling Members what I thought about it, I thought I 
would read to them some very quick quotes from Members who were there:
  ``Pleasantly surprised'';
  ``Substantive'';
  ``Very diverse group'';
  ``Heard things we didn't think we would hear, in a positive sense'';
  ``People were eager to get into it'';
  ``Some people began hesitant but were comfortable once we got 
started'';
  ``People wanted to come up with ideas that were realistic, that we 
could accomplish'';
  ``Very good responses from spouses as well as Members'';
  ``Ought to continue the bipartisan caucuses'';
  ``Some of the greatest responses were from some who were the most 
skeptical'';
  ``Spouses had great things to say'';
  ``Good to have practical ideas, not so lofty as changing the spin of 
the earth''.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the quotes that I think meant the most to me was 
among these, ``It almost leads you to believe we could change the House 
if we put our minds to it.''
  Mr. Speaker, it almost does lead you to believe that we could change 
the House if we put our minds to it.

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