[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 80 (Thursday, June 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H4727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SHAMEFUL MORNING IN AMERICA

  (Mr. ROTHMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a shameful morning in America. Two 
of the most important issues facing the American people, anti-tobacco 
legislation and campaign finance reform, have just been dealt a severe 
setback by this Republican-controlled Congress.
  There was an opportunity yesterday in the Republican-controlled 
Congress to bring some justice to this debate, to right some wrongs, to 
invest in the tobacco-free future of our children. But instead, our 
Republican colleagues killed the tobacco bill.
  Here in the Republican-controlled House, the leadership will not even 
allow debate on tobacco. They do not even plan to bring a bill to the 
floor. Instead, the Republican leadership in this House continues to 
spend their time killing campaign finance reform.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe strongly in finding bipartisan solutions to 
America's problems. But how can we solve America's most important 
problems if the present Republican-controlled Congress continues to 
kill or strangle debate on issues of such vital importance to America 
as tobacco and campaign finance reform?

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