[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 971]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                           WE HAVE A MANDATE

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, some of our friends in the media have 
suggested that because the President won a narrow election victory he 
does not have a mandate for his agenda. Well, that is wrong. Every 
American wants the best schools we can provide for our children. Every 
American deserves a tax cut. Every American wants us to pay off the 
debt; and, yes, we can afford to do both. Every American wants to help 
our seniors get prescription drugs and make sure Social Security will 
be there for the next generation. In fact, a recent Zogby poll showed 
that up to 40 percent of the people who voted for Al Gore support the 
Bush agenda. Education, tax cuts, debt pay-down, strong national 
defense, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, these are the 
issues the American people have assigned to us. These are the issues 
our President has campaigned on. These are the issues the country wants 
addressed. We have a mandate. The President has a plan. Let us roll up 
our sleeves, go to work, enact the President's agenda. It is really the 
people's agenda.

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