[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 23, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H7352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RESPONSE TO QUESTION OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I first want to thank the 
chairman of my committee for what had to be a very difficult task for 
him in coming before this august body and expressing regret for poor 
judgment. All of us at some time or the other have had poor judgment, 
and it is always difficult for us, especially as politicians, to say 
publicly that we made a mistake.
  The reason I asked to respond is because I know that each and every 
one of us love this body and recognize that we are privileged, if not 
blessed, to have the opportunity to represent the people of the United 
States of America. But whether or not it is a Thomas-Rangel dispute, a 
Republican-Democrat dispute, the only question that we have is that we 
leave this place in no worse shape than we inherited it. Each Congress 
tries to improve the quality of civility, the partnership, the working 
together, the mutual respect and saying, as my chairman said, that we 
all want a better America, indeed a better world.
  But we have diversity in this country. It is our biggest strength, 
and to respect the American people, we have to respect each other. It 
is not a question of personality. We cannot afford to be personal about 
it. There has to be respect. Yes, the majority has the responsibility 
to lead and to get their legislation through, but the minority has the 
right to be respected, to be heard, and to know, in a timely fashion 
when that legislation is coming up, to know what is in the bill, to 
have time and to be able to use not the rules that we make up as we go 
along but the rules of civility that allowed this body to exist for 
over 200 years. These were not Republican rules. They were not 
Democratic rules. They were rules to say, notwithstanding your emotion, 
this will guide you for a better Congress and a better America.
  I hope, Mr. Speaker, that out of this, because our parents have 
always told us that out of the worst day of the worst situation, if you 
commit to it, you can find some good to come out of it. So do not look 
at it as being a Thomas-Rangel, Committee on Ways and Means issue. Let 
us look at this as being a House of Representatives issue. Let us see 
whether every committee and every Member can say that in this House we 
have got to respect each other no matter how much we differ. We should 
try to believe that the best of us is to do the best job for our 
country.
  Chairman Thomas, I thank you for coming forward and giving us the 
opportunity to say can we not take this House to a higher level? Can we 
not go back home and make the people proud of us? And whether we win or 
lose in terms of legislation, whether we respect each other is what I 
think those that we leave this Congress to would respect us for. Thank 
you, Mr. Chairman.

                          ____________________