[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 24, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  FAIRNESS MUST BE PRACTICED WITH RESPECT TO APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES

  (Mr. ROEMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, with strong Democratic 
support, the House of Representatives, in a bipartisan way, passed the 
education flexibility bill. This bill is about old values and new 
ideas: old values of local control of our schools, new ideas of added 
flexibility for increased student performance.
  When we appointed conferees to this bill last night, our leadership 
did not appoint a single Democrat who supported the bill on the House 
Floor. We had a majority of Democrats support the bill in committee, a 
majority of Democrats support the bill on the House Floor, but yet no 
Democrats who supported the bill were appointed to conference and 
supported the bill on the House Floor.
  We can talk about Republican and Democratic civility and fairness, we 
can talk about better ratios and funding, but we need to practice that 
fairness with our appointments to conference.
  In Abraham Lincoln's words, with malice towards none, with charity 
toward all, these need to be reflected outside our party and within our 
party.

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