[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 157 (Thursday, December 8, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H11226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               CORRUPTION

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, as the Republican leadership spends more 
time in the courthouse than the People's House doing the people's 
business, defending itself from charges of bribery, tax evasion and 
money laundering, the President is traveling the country telling the 
American people how incredible this economy is.
  Yet, survey after survey shows the American people do not agree with 
him. This despite the fact that the economy grew 4.2 percent last year. 
It is the best statistical performance since 1999. Why? Well, in part 
because very little of this growth is impacting them. 5.4 million more 
Americans live in poverty than they did before President Bush came into 
office. Six million more Americans are without health insurance, and 
the average income fell for the fifth year in a row last year.
  The administration's stock explanation for this is always the same, 
``September 11. We are at war.''
  Well, being at war has not stopped corporate profits from soaring 
more than 50 percent since 2001. And when you have Members of Congress 
pleading guilty to having accepted bribes from defense contractors, 
ongoing investigations into lawmakers' agreeing to perform official 
acts in return for lavish golf trips, expensive dinners and campaign 
contributions, it is easy to understand why corporations are doing so 
well.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to put the needs of families before the 
special interests of lobbyists.

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