[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16468]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                                FAREWELL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOE SCARBOROUGH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 5, 2001

  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, some come to Washington with optimism, 
hope, and great expectations. Some of these same people leave Congress 
with pessimism, dismay, and a weaker spirit.
  I am not such a person.
  Tomorrow, I will be leaving public service after seven years in the 
United States Congress to return to my home in Northwest Florida.
  In the coming months and years, I will certainly miss the rewards of 
working beside ordinary Americans called to serve in this House during 
extraordinary times. But as I leave, I believe like Ronald Reagan, that 
``America's greatest days lie ahead. And I see great days ahead for men 
and women of will and vision.''
  And let me tell you why I leave Congress full of hope for our great 
country and its people. During the last 7 years, the Congress has 
eliminated the budget deficit, it has reformed the Great Society 
Programs of the 1960's, including, of course, our nation's outdated 
welfare system, and, most importantly, it has restored the faith of 
people in their government.
  The Conservative revolution of 1994, the government shutdown, the 
budget battles with President Clinton, the military excursions into the 
Balkans, the Impeachment proceedings, and the turbulent election 
challenge of 2000 have all weighed heavily upon our Republic. But while 
any one of these political events could have been the cause for 
political bloodshed in distant capitals, in America, each challenge was 
faced by Congress and the public with understanding and maturity.
  That is not to say that each crisis did not cause emotions to spill 
onto this floor. But at the end of each political chapter, Americans 
absorbed the trying events and moved forward.
  Despite the self-interested cries from special interest groups and 
leaders of both parties, a Republican Congress worked with a Democratic 
President to balance the budget, to reform welfare, to stop the raiding 
of America's social security trust fund and to pass a military health 
care bill that goes a long way toward keeping the promise made to 
America's servicemen and their families. And while I was disappointed 
by President Clinton's attempts to derail most of the legislation we 
ultimately passed, I recognize that the American people elected him to 
the presidency to be more than a rubber stamp for a Republican 
Congress.
  I am proudest of my band of brothers and sisters who were elected 
together in 1994, fought the president in 1995 and 1996, and then faced 
down our own party leaders who sought a speedy retreat from the core 
principles that brought us to the majority in 1994.
  Together we stood shoulder to shoulder, faced down powerful forces, 
and made a difference in Congress.
  More importantly than balancing the budget, reforming welfare or 
changing the culture of Congress, the class of 1994 changed the debate 
in Washington over our budget priorities. No longer do presidents 
project deficits as far as the eye can see. No longer do Senators and 
Congressmen spend billions first and ask questions later. No longer do 
politicians stuffed with trillions of dollars in tax revenue make the 
claim that another tax increase is needed to bring balance to the 
budget process.
  Today, the values espoused by both parties center around fewer taxes, 
responsible spending, and a greater reliance on local authority.
  Perhaps too few in Congress really believe Jefferson's statement that 
the government that governs least, governs best. But today, more than 
anytime in seventy-five years, politicians' fear of political 
retribution at the voting booth prevents them from casting America 
forth into a sea of red ink.
  That simple political fact at the beginning of a new American century 
will be our lasting legacy.
  My family, my friends, and my dedicated staff are owed my deepest 
gratitude on this night, as are the people of Florida's First 
Congressional District. They had the faith to send an untested 31-year 
old novice to Washington to represent their interests and views in 
Congress.
  When I won my first campaign, I did so with the simple pledge that I 
would speak my mind, vote my conscience, and stand up and shout ``no'' 
when everyone was mindlessly saying ``yes.''
  I kept my word, fought the good fight, and worked hard for the cause 
of less government and greater individual liberty.
  Two hundred and twenty-five years later, that remains the legacy of 
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and our other founding fathers. And 
tonight, on the occasion of my retirement from this great institution, 
it is my hope that if anyone cares to remember my work here in the 
future as a footnote to some greater story, perhaps my legacy will be 
that I contributed in some small way to the elevation of the individual 
over the power of the state.
  I may be leaving Congress, but I won't be silent. I will continue to 
fight for common sense values that all Americans understand. I feel 
passionate about many issues and I will continue to speak out and be 
heard.
  I pray tonight that the Lord that George Washington prayed to during 
the Revolutionary War, and the God that Abraham Lincoln turned to 
during America's darkest hours, will continue to bless this great city 
on a hill that still shines brightly for all the world to see.
  May God bless America!




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