[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 157 (Sunday, November 9, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H10427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRESS MUST MAINTAIN ITS INTEGRITY UP TO THE END OF THE SESSION

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, as we bring this session of 
our responsibilities to the American people during this time of 
legislative activity to an end, I would ask this Congress to maintain 
its integrity.
  There is a great deal of debate about legislation that is to be voted 
on and discussed this day, but I think that our Republican friends and 
certainly Democrats should understand that there are certain issues 
that need to be maintained separately from these discussions.
  There is no doubt that sampling in the taking of the census in the 
year 2000 has been documented as the most accurate way of counting 
every human being. The homeless, people who are unhoused, poor people, 
rich people, black people, Hispanic people, Anglo people, Asian people, 
anyone in this country needs to be counted in this Nation. So let us 
not play with the census.
  Let us not play with the basic rights of women across the world to 
family plan and preserve their families.
  Let us not play with the Haitians, who are the only group who are not 
being allowed to stay in this country to apply for their citizenship.
  Maintain the integrity of this Congress, and allow these issues to go 
forward on their own merits. The census must have sampling, family 
planning must exist, and leave the Haitians alone so they, too, have 
the rights of everybody else.

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