[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 36 (Wednesday, March 19, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           SUCCESS AT HERSHEY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Houghton] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, before I talk I yield to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas].
  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I simply want to state that with regard to 
the recent retreat at Hershey, two things: First, while my colleagues 
were enjoying a retreat, I was on a work weekend. That was my district, 
and my schedule called for me to meet a group of tourists from 
Washington, DC, and so I did my duty. I wanted you to know that I 
worked hard that weekend making sure that you were hosted well.
  But the second notation I want to make is that universally with every 
member of the Hershey staff, waitress, busboy, every single person who 
worked there and who dealt with the Members of Congress and their 
families, the mood and the comment was absolutely unanimous to the 
effect that they were met with courtesy on the part of the Members and 
their spouses and their children, that everybody was well behaved, that 
the requests were all met handily. In short, they were glad to have the 
Members of Congress and their families at the retreat at Hershey.
  For me it was a good exercise in doing my job, but more than that, it 
was good to see all of the Members at the resort area in Hershey.
  Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Pennsylvania did his 
job well, as did Governor Ridge. It was an honor and a pleasure to be 
with him. Thanks very much. Maybe New York will be the hospitable State 
the next time we have a meeting.
  Mr. Speaker, my friends, I would like to talk just a second about the 
bipartisan retreat. It was a wonderful experience. I am not going to 
duplicate the comments that my bosses, the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. 
Skaggs], the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. LaHood] and the gentleman 
from Ohio [Mr. Sawyer] have mentioned, but I would just like to add one 
or two comments to something which was really I think really a 
definitive moment in the history of this Congress.
  Here we were, 220 of us, approximately 550 people up there, talking 
as we should talk, talking to citizens, talking as concerned citizens. 
Maybe one of the most impressive things as far as I am concerned was 
the inclusion of the spouses. You know, many times life, whether it is 
in politics or business, whatever it is, it is sort of a solo act; but 
here we were as families talking and expressing ourselves and sharing 
ideas. It was enormously healing.

  You know bit by bit, whether it is again in a family or a business or 
something else, we sort of drift apart, and all of a sudden we realize 
that this thing has been apart and we are looking down into a chasm. We 
have got to pull it back together, and I think that is what happened: 
Very, very important.
  I got a letter prior to going there from some people out in 
Washington near Seattle, St. Stephen the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, 
and let me just read a little bit about it because this is sort of the 
genesis of what we were doing out there.
  It said: ``Dear Congressman, as the new term of office begins it is 
our desire that all of our elected leaders strive to work together.''
  Now, this was not prompted at all. ``Regardless of political 
alliance, the potential for stalemate and impotence in leadership 
decisions exists due to separate party agendas. It is necessary in the 
best interests of your country, of my country, that there be teamwork 
and compromise and strength of purpose. You are paid by us. We expect 
you to behave with dignity and integrity.''
  Now, I am not going to read the rest of this letter, but you get the 
gist of it. I mean, these people are involved right here with us every 
day. They see us, they send us here, they expect us to deal in the same 
manner that they would deal with their parishioners, or with their 
family or with their fellow citizens, and that is why this thing was so 
special.
  Let me just say one other thing. I had a wonderful opportunity this 
morning to go down to the Mall and see the opening of the World War II 
memorial. Bob Dole was there, the first public appearance I think he 
has made since the election. He gave an enormously effective and 
emotional speech, and I hope that other people will be able to read it 
or listen to it. One of the things he said is that ``you know we here 
represent young people who died for a future they will never realize.''
  You know, I just thought of that because of the responsibility it 
puts on all of us. Here were those young people in with World War II, 
as there have been in other wars, who risked their lives, lost their 
lives for a future they would never be able to experience themselves.
  It gives us a tremendous sense of obligation to do what is right 
here, and so I was proud to be a part of this experience. I hope it is 
not a flash in the pan. I hope it will continue. I hope the whole 
spirit of Hershey will be a spirit that we can look back on and say it 
was well worth our while.

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