[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H9732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             COMMITTEE HAS TRIED TO DRAFT HONEST COMPROMISE

  (Mr. OBEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. OBEY. In response to the comments of the previous speaker, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling], Mr. Speaker, I would like 
to take note of two facts. I notice a fax from the Office of 
Congressman Shadegg which says, ``Urgent, Republican leadership is 
pushing the David Obey proposed compromise, which sells us out on 
testing.'' That is what I hear from one side. Then I hear from Mr. Ralm 
Emanuel at the White House that the White House intends to veto this 
bill ``because Dave Obey has sold the White House out on testing.''
  I would suggest that if Mr. Clinton, or the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling] or Mr. Emanuel or the gentleman from 
Arizona [Mr. Shadegg] or anyone else thinks that it is so easy to put 
together a compromise, they sit down and talk to each other. It seems 
to me that that is what we need, rather than having both sides cry 
``sell-out'' because this committee has tried to draft an honest 
compromise.
  I have great respect for the President, and I have great respect for 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling], but I would suggest 
that one of them is spectacularly wrong.

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