[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 144 (Thursday, October 25, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H7311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CONGRESS NEEDS TO PULL TOGETHER AND FORGO NEGATIVISM

  (Mr. OSBORNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I along with others have been encouraged by 
the response to recent attacks on our country. We have seen a renewed 
patriotism, spiritual renewal in the country and a sense of unity. That 
unity has extended to the Congress. For the past 5 weeks, we have shown 
an exceptional spirit of cooperation here.
  In that light, I was really disappointed in yesterday's debate. I saw 
a return to business as usual, negativism and blaming. My experience 
over a long period of time has been that having a common goal, having a 
larger purpose, having a sense of mission causes negativism and 
personal ambition and divisiveness to fall away.
  Mr. Speaker, if there was ever a time that this Nation and this body 
needs to pull together, it is now. So if our speech and our actions and 
motives are filtered through the lens of national interest, we will 
pull together. We need to do this over time and not just in the heat of 
the moment.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that we will keep the national interest first and 
foremost in our thoughts and mind and prayers as we move forward as a 
body.

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