[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 153 (Wednesday, November 3, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H11379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             AMERICANS WANT A CONGRESS THAT WORKS FOR THEM

  (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, here we are in November, and, quite frankly, 
this Republican Congress has done very little. The appropriations bills 
languish and the needs of the American people are not being met.
  The GOP has spent the year trying to convince the American people 
that they need a $792 billion tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, but 
America saw through this tax giveaway which raided the Social Security 
Trust Fund and rejected it.
  Instead, the American people asked for things that cost very little 
and would improve their lives, like a patients' bill of rights so 
Americans and doctors can make their medical decisions and not the 
HMOs; like the increase in the minimum wage so all Americans can enjoy 
this strong economy; like 100,000 more teachers so we can reduce the 
class sizes; and why, Mr. Speaker, can we not enforce all the gun laws 
on the books and do background checks on every commercial sale of a 
gun, even those at gun shows?
  No more excuses, no more exceptions. Mr. Speaker, let us work for the 
American people. Unfortunately, under the Republican-led Congress, it 
is always the same old song: More tax breaks for the rich and more tax 
on government. America wants a Congress that works for them, like 
Democrats are fighting for.

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