[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 157 (Tuesday, November 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H11714]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AMERICANS DESERVE TO HAVE ISSUES THEY CARE ABOUT MOST ADDRESSED

  (Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because this Republican 
Congress is failing American families.
  The gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) originally promised 
that the Republican-controlled Congress would finish work on the budget 
nearly 2 months ago. Yet, they continue to sit here and waste our time 
with political stunts.
  The American people have become used to a Republican Congress that is 
no longer just a ``do nothing'' Congress, but a ``do the wrong thing'' 
Congress.
  Americans deserve a budget; they deserve to have the issues they care 
about most addressed. There is positive legislation that our 
constituents are asking us to bring to the House floor. We could be 
saving Social Security, building new schools, reducing classroom size. 
We could be increasing the minimum wage so that workers can provide for 
their families. We could be ensuring patients' rights and putting the 
care back into health care. Instead, we are mired down in partisan 
rhetoric and debate.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of southeast Texas and I have been waiting 
for over 5 weeks for the Republicans to finish the budget, but we 
cannot wait much longer. They need to quit stalling and together let us 
get the people's business done.

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